The Detour
by Paradoxing
Summary: Clary is a high school graduate and aspiring ballet dancer with a chance to escape her miserable home life. Jace is an adopted high school dropout, who makes a living fighting other men for money. When a chance encounter leaves them stranded, they are both taken on a detour they never knew they needed. Contains strong language, violence, and sexual content.
1. Prologue

***Taps mic* Hello? Is this thing still on?**

**Hello my lovelies, welcome to my new story The Detour. This is something I've been wanting to write for a long time, and I'm happy that I get to finally share it with you all. If you're looking for an update on me, I am now 19 years old and taking a gap year from college, and of course writing is still my passion. Now, if you're wondering what you'll be getting into with this story, just know that it is definitely different from Protecting Jace. Though don't worry, it will be just as intense, emotional, and funny. This will be another Jace and Clary you will fall in love with. So, without further ado, here's The Detour.**

**Also, special thanks to my lovely beta and friend**

****Trigger Warning: abuse****

**Disclaimer: All TMI characters belong to Cassandra Clare :)**

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The first time Clary's father hit her, she was fifteen years old. It was a few months after her mother passed away from cancer, and they'd both been feeling the loss of her. While Clary drowned her sorrows in music and dance, her father drowned himself in alcohol.

Now, Valentine Morgenstern was never a man of complete sobriety, but it had only seemed to get worse with her mother's death. Clary couldn't remember much from that day, but what she did remember had been ingrained in her mind forever.

She'd just gotten home from dance practice and the moment she walked through the door, the stench of alcohol assaulted her. Sadly, it was par for the course in their house lately. Knowing exactly where he'd be, Clary dropped her bags by the door and made her way into the living room.

There she saw what she did almost every day: her father sitting on the couch watching TV, crushed up cans of beer surrounding him. He was cursing under his breath as some sportscaster made remarks about about a recent football game.

Something in Clary snapped in that moment. She had no idea what made that day different than any other, but she'd met her end. This was her breaking point.

Stomping over to her father, she snatched the remote off the coffee table and turned the TV off. Valentine made a sound of frustration and slammed the beer he was drinking onto that same table, staggering to his feet to tower over her. Clary took him in. His wrinkled clothes, bloodshot eyes, his protruding belly. He looked nothing like the man she called her father for the past fifteen years, and she was done pretending that what he was doing to himself was okay.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he slurred.

Tossing the remote aside, Clary took a step towards him. "Me? Dad, look at yourself. You're a mess."

"I'm fine."

"No you're not," she said, her voice rising. "This place is a mess! There's no food in the fridge, bills are piling up, there's damage everywhere, and you don't even seem to care!"

A silent warning crossed Valentine's features. "You lower your voice when you're talking to me, Clarissa."

Blinded by her anger, Clary refused to heed his warning. Which, looking back, was one of the worst mistakes she could have made that night. But in the moment, she didn't care about anything other than getting her point across.

"No. I am sick and tired of picking up all the slack around here. I am fifteen years old, Dad. Fifteen! The only thing I should be worried about right now is school and my dance classes, but here I am, taking care of you and trying to make sure that everything in our lives doesn't fall apart." Her hands were moving wildly and her breathing had become erratic. This was the first time she'd ever spoken to her father this way, but she couldn't stop. "At this rate, we'll be out on the street in no time. Is that what you want?" She paused. "Do you think that's what Mom would want?"

At the mention of her, his eyes turned pitch black. "You do not speak of her in this house!" he roared.

Clary flinched at the volume of his voice, but still, she didn't stop. "You know what I think? I think she would be disappointed by the man you've become. Actually, not even disappointed, she'd be absolutely disgusted by you. I bet that she's rolling over in her grave right this sec—"

Then it happened. At first it didn't even register. All she felt was the stinging sensation on her right cheek and the tears suddenly welling in her eyes. He'd began yelling at her but all she heard was white noise. The shock of what just happened was nothing compared to the searing pain once it finally registered.

He'd hit her. Her father _hit_ her.

Her ears were still ringing once he stopped yelling obscenities at her and lowered his voice to a terrifying whisper. "Listen now and listen well, Clarissa. If you _ever_ speak to me like that again—if you ever speak of _her_ again—I will make you wish that you'd never come into this world. Understood?"

More afraid than she'd ever been in her life, all Clary could do was nod. She didn't even recognize the man in front of her, but after seeing what he was capable of, she didn't dare utter a single word. Tears were pouring down her cheeks and she was clutching her face in agony, but Valentine's expression stayed completely devoid of emotion. And when she looked down, she could already see the bruises forming on his knuckles from the backhanded slap he delivered.

That was when she knew. The man she'd once known as her father was gone. Valentine was no longer a man. He was a monster.

Picking up his discarded beer, he flopped back onto the couch and took a large gulp. "Now turn the TV back on and clean up this fucking mess," he barked.

All of the fire and confidence in her body that made her stand up to him in the first place had left her within seconds. Her body trembled in fear as she leaned down to pick up the remote and switched the TV back on. Then, as quietly as she could, she began picking up empty beer bottles and other garbage spread out among them.

Clary's body was moving on autopilot, her mind replaying the events of what happened over and over in her mind. She prayed that any moment from now she would wake up in her bed and realize that this was all a horrible nightmare. But deep down Clary knew everything that happened that night had been real, and there was no turning back from it.

For the next hour she cleaned that house until it was spotless, trying her best to keep her distance from her father, who'd gone back to being completely unfazed. Only when he was satisfied with her work did he let her go.

Scrambling to her room, Clary didn't even bother taking off her clothes before climbing into her bed and wrapping herself in her comforter. It did nothing to soothe her pain and for the first time that night she allowed herself to truly cry. Ugly sobs wracked her body as she curled into herself. She felt completely helpless. She didn't know how she'd be able to face him without being frozen in fear from here on out.

Clary never imagined that her life would turn out this way. Of course she knew her father had a temper and she'd heard her parents argue plenty of times, but she somehow convinced herself that things would get better.

God, if only she knew how far from the truth that really was.

And if Clary thought she'd be able to avoid further abuse by being extremely careful, she was oh-so-wrong. In fact, this was only the beginning. But as she cried all the tears she could cry that night, she vowed to herself—and to her mom—that this was not going to be the end of her.

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**What did you think?**

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**A/N: A pretty depressing start for Clary, I know, but she will find her escape soon (aka Jace). Also as a courtesy, I will be including trigger warnings when they are necessary, though there will not be many. And, this being a new story and all, we need a new tradition for the end of chapters. PJ had chapter questions, The Detour will have chapter facts to keep you guys on your toes. So, here's the chapter fact,**

**Fun fact: Bees don't have lungs**


	2. The Beginning

**Hello my lovelies. I hope you're having a wonderful day. Summer is almost here and I'm very excited for the trips I have planned, and hopefully I get to hear about yours too. I know last chapter was just a little teaser and you've been waiting patiently for the story to actually begin. This will be another long journey, so buckle in your seat belts and be prepared for the feels.**

**Also big thank you to my lovely beta for editing this chapter**

****Trigger Warning: abuse****

**Disclaimer: All TMI characters belong to Cassandra Clare :)**

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_Chapter Songs:_

_**Breathin by Ariana Grande (Scene 1)_

_**River of Tears by Alessia Cara (Scene 2)_

_**Bird Set Free by Sia (Scene 3)_

_**I Dare You by Bea Miller (Scene 4)_

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"Nice, Clary. Great form."

Clary couldn't help but smile at the praise she was getting from her ballet instructor. The woman was hard as nails and didn't dish out compliments very often, but that only made it that much better when she did. A few of the other dancers watched her closely as she gracefully moved her body to the classical music.

She was in her element. Dancing had always been her passion, but now it was a way for her to escape her gruesome home life. This was the only thing that got her out of bed in the morning—well, that and her promise to her mother to keep going. Even if most days she felt like giving up just to end the pain.

Although, that pain somehow translated into the way she danced and conveyed a deep-seated emotion that she knew others could see and feel. Most considered dance a hobby, but to Clary it was her whole life. She didn't know what she'd do without it.

"Okay that's enough for today, dancers," her instructor, Miss Belcourt, called out to them as she turned off the music. Then she turned around to look them all over. "We are months away from the summer showcase and some of you still look like you just put on those pointe shoes yesterday. Do I need to remind you of the kind of people who will be there? They could make or break your careers, ladies."

Clary swallowed the lump in her throat. The reason she picked this dance studio is because of all the success stories she's heard from now thriving dancers. Camille Belcourt did not accept anything less than perfection, and although she was a tough teacher, she got results. That was exactly what Clary needed, to become the best she could be in order to make a life for herself and get as far away from her father as she could.

Miss Belcourt crossed her arms and sighed. "Hit the showers and we'll try this again next week." As they all let their bodies relax and began walking to the locker rooms, she added, "And Clary, a word?"

Ignoring the stares from the other dancers, Clary made her way over to her instructor, thankful for the excuse to avoid the locker room. She still had trouble revealing her scars to the others, or anyone for that matter.

"Yes, Ma'am?" Clary said as she undid the tie holding her long red hair in a bun. She ran her fingers through the wavy tresses, a nervous expression on her face as she stood in front of the tall blonde.

Miss Belcourt looked down at her. "You're going on a trip soon, yes?"

Clary nodded, knowing she was referring to a cross country trip only a certain number of her school's graduating class could partake in. It was going to be the trip of a lifetime, and what made it better was that her best friend, Simon, was going too. "Yes, we're all leaving Friday night."

"And if I remember correctly, this trip is a month long?"

Clary grimaced. "Um, it is, but I promise you that I will continue to practice whenever I can. I won't—"

Her instructor quickly held up her hand to stop her, a hint of a smile on her face. "I'm not worried about you keeping up with your dancing, Clary. I've been your instructor for a while now, and I know for a fact that you would dance through an earthquake or any other natural disaster. You eat, sleep, and breathe ballet." She took a step closer and put her hand on Clary's shoulder. "All I ask is that you make it here for the end of summer showcase. With your natural talent, your effortlessness, and your determination, I know they will be chomping at the bit to get a piece of you."

"You really mean that?" Clary whispered.

"There's one thing I don't do, and that's give false hope. I know potential when I see it, and I have to say I haven't seen a dancer like you in quite a while, Miss Morgenstern." Camille didn't give her a smile, but she saw it in her luminous green eyes. "I have a feeling that this trip will offer lots of inspiration for your piece, so embrace it for as long as you can."

"Thank you, that's very kind of you to say," Clary told her. "I promise when I get back, I will work extremely hard to make this my best performance yet."

"You better." With that, her instructor walked away, leaving her to follow the rest of her fellow dancers into the locker room. Ballet might not have looked very vigorous, but they all worked their butts off and worked up as much of a sweat as any "true" athlete.

Once Clary opened her locker, she grabbed her phone and clicked on the screen, seeing a text from Simon saying he was outside waiting. He always picked her up from ballet practice when he could and never asked for a cent in return. She was so glad that she had him among all the chaos in her life.

"Hey."

Clary looked up to see one of the only people she could call a friend in that studio. Maia Roberts had only been with them for a year, but she had an aura that screamed genuine compassion. Even in a competitive atmosphere, she never treated anyone with anything but kindness. Maia, with her light brown skin and amber eyes, was a rare commodity.

Clary couldn't help but return her bright smile. "Hey, Maia. What's up?"

"You were amazing today. I still don't know how you manage to look light as a feather even after hours of practice."

"I must be getting better at hiding the exhaustion," Clary joked. "But thank you."

"Oh, I'm gonna miss you. Also, I'm very jealous of this trip you're going on. The most I've ever traveled is to my grandmother's house in North Carolina," she said, rolling her eyes.

Clary laughed. "Well, I'll make sure to take lots of pictures. I've never been outside of Brooklyn so this is a very new experience for me. I'm excited, though."

"You should be, and I hope you know how lucky you are," Maia said playfully. "Even at eighteen, my parents would never let me be away from them for that long. Your folks must be pretty cool."

The smile on Clary's face fell in an instant. The statement was harmless, considering how little Maia actually knew about her life, but it still didn't stop the wave of sadness that passed through her. A dead mother and an abusive father hardly constituted as lucky.

The truth was, she hadn't told her father about the trip. Since she was eighteen, she didn't need permission and just planned on leaving. Of course, Clary knew there would be consequences when she returned, but she had to get out of there. Even if it was just for a short time.

Not to cause suspicion, Clary tried her best to paste the smile back on her face as she mumbled, "You could say that."

It must not have been successful, though, because Maia immediately raised a brow. "Is everything okay?"

Clary nodded quickly, maybe too quickly. "Of course, yeah. But my ride is here, so I should go." Before the other girl could answer, she leaned in for a quick hug, grabbed her bag, and threw a quick "see ya!" over her shoulder.

Once she was out of the small brick building, she let out a sigh of relief, knowing that her strange behavior hadn't gone unnoticed. But when she saw Simon sitting in the driver's seat of his mother's old station wagon, she couldn't find the energy to care about anything other than being in the presence of her best friend.

"Sup, C!" Simon greeted over the loud rock music blaring over the radio. Clary couldn't help but laugh at the sight of him imitating the guitar solo, his head rocking back and forth so hard that his thick glasses looked close to flying off his face.

"Hey, Si," she said once he was finished and turned the radio down. "I still don't understand how you listen to that garbage."

Simon swept his messy dark hair out of his brown eyes, his hand going to his chest in mock offense. "I'll have you know, dear friend, that Metallica is one of the greatest bands of the twentieth century."

"And that's exactly where they should stay."

"Okay, that one hurt," he said, rubbing his chest as if he were pained. "Excuse me if I don't want to put myself to sleep with your boring classical music."

Clary gasped and reached over to shove his shoulder lightly. "I cannot believe you just said that! Any sane human being would rather listen to a beautiful symphony of instruments than someone screaming into a microphone."

Simon grinned. "Let's just agree to disagree, C. How about you tell me about your last day of practice instead?"

Clary narrowed her eyes at him. He knew the quickest way to end their banter was to get her to talk about dancing. The saddest part was that she fell for it every time. "It was amazing as always, and I'm really going to miss it. Miss Belcourt is the best instructor I could ask for, really. She wasn't even worried about me being away for so long, which was a shock to me. She's always said religiously that perfection comes from nonstop practice."

"That won't be a problem. You haven't stopped dancing since you learned how to walk," Simon joked as he started to drive.

Clary knew he was right. For as long as she could remember, dance was a prevalent part of her life, and it was great that people could recognize her passion for it. As they drove, Clary looked out the window, her eyes taking in the streets of Brooklyn. It's unique look and feel, buildings both old and new, people from many different walks of life living together in harmony. This was home, but she also couldn't wait to see what the rest of the country had to offer.

"So, excited for the trip?" Simon asked, as if reading her mind.

"Are you kidding? I'm going bonkers counting down the minutes!"

"How many are left?"

Clary rolled her eyes. "Haha. Very funny, smarty pants."

"Well, I am a certified nerd, so I'll take that as a compliment."

"Oh really? I couldn't tell from your _Battlestar Galactica_ t-shirt, and your need to quote _Star Wars_ whenever the opportunity presents itself."

Simon grinned. "Hey. '_I'm just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe_.'"

"You know, sometimes I wonder how we became friends."

"Simple. We were both outcasts with a need for companionship. We don't fit in anywhere else so we made a class of our own."

Clary smiled at him. "I'm glad we did, Si. I'm glad we did."

Before she knew it, Simon came to a stop in front of her house. This was usually when the dread formed in her stomach and everything inside of her deflated. She knew Simon saw her reaction every time he dropped her off, but she'd managed to convince him that it was about her mother not being there anymore and having to be surrounded by all things that reminded Clary of her.

As for the beatings she often received at the hands of her father, the bruises and scars were easier to hide. Valentine may have been a vicious man, but he was also a smart one. After seeing how much her face bruised the first time he hit her, he stuck to parts of her body that he knew could easily be hidden by her clothes.

"Clary?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, Clary turned toward her best friend and tried her best to school her features in order to appear calm. "Yeah?"

Simon raised a brow, but seemed to drop it after a moment. "I'll be here to pick you up tomorrow night, okay? The bus leaves the school at ten o'clock. I'll be here at nine-thirty just to be safe."

"Sounds good to me." A late night bus trip was perfect for her. After a few too many beers, her father usually passed out hours before then, so she would be in the clear.

"I'll text you!" Simon called after her as she climbed out of the car and shut the door behind her.

"I'll answer!" Clary called back, sending him a wave as she skipped toward her house, still donned in her light pink leotard and pointe shoes. As Simon pulled away, she slowed her pace to a stroll, not knowing exactly what she was going to walk into that day.

But if she thought it was going to be business as usual, that theory was squashed the minute she opened the door to see her father standing in the corridor.

With the duffel bag for her trip in his hand.

.o.O.o.

"Dad, I can explain—"

"Shut your mouth, Clarissa." Valentine took a calculated step towards her. "It's not hard to figure out. Usually when people pack a bag this large it's because they plan on going somewhere." Unzipping the bag, he turned it upside down and violently shook out all the contents. "So, I'll ask you this once, Clarissa. Where the hell did you think you were going?"

Clary's eyes began filling with tears as she looked at all of her things—which she spent so much time packing—spread out on the floor like garbage. She opened her mouth to answer, but was caught off guard when Valentine twisted his hand into the top of her leotard and yanked her closer.

"And don't even think about lying to me."

Frozen in fear, Clary whispered, "I-I'm going on a trip with some other graduates tomorrow. Cross country."

For a moment, Valentine just looked at her, then he let out a sardonic laugh. "Did you really think you were just going to leave for God knows how long? Haven't you learned anything?" He leaned down to her level. "I am your father. You answer to me, and only me. Going behind my back only forces me to punish you. It's simple, Clarissa. Do as I say and we won't have any problems."

Clary knew it was not at all simple. Even if she did everything she was told and was the perfect daughter, he would still find a reason to punish her. None of it was fair, but it was how her cards were stacked. Completely against her in every way.

Despite this, she said exactly what he wanted to hear. "Yes, sir. I understand."

"Good." He stood back up until he was towering over her once again. Then he loosened his grip on her leotard, but she knew from experience that he wasn't done with her. As if on cue, he used his hand to shove her back into the hard, wooden door, making her fall down. "Clean all this shit up and put it back where it belongs. Then I want you downstairs to start you chores. I expect this house to be pristine."

With that, he walked away, already knowing that he scared her into doing what he said. Finally letting her tears fall, Clary pushed herself off the floor, wincing once she felt a sharp pain on her right shoulder blade. It was pretty much a given that the area would bruise.

Ignoring the pain, Clary made work of the mess her father created of her belongings. Before she walked through that door, she'd been confident that she would be able sneak out right under his nose. She was foolish for thinking she could get away with anything living under the same roof as that monster.

Their home, which used to have her mother's touch in every room, was now only a shell of what it used to be. There were no trinkets, no pictures, no color. Nothing to suggest anyone actually considered this their home.

Sometimes Clary felt like a modern day Cinderella. Her mother, unbeknownst to her, died and left her daughter with a cruel and wicked man. She'd never expected that man to be her own father, but there she was, practically a slave in her own home.

Though, unlike the actual Cinderella, there would be no prince to swoop in and save her.

There would be no happy ending.

.o.O.o.

For the entirety of the next day, Clary was forced to wait on her father hand and foot. While Valentine sat on the stained couch, drinking beer and frying his brain with senseless television, Clary fed him, handed him beer after beer, and constantly adjusted the thermostat to his liking.

It was hell. She'd barely gotten a moment to herself since she woke up to him banging on her bedroom door that morning.

But during one of his drunk induced naps, Clary managed to plug in her headphones and lose herself in her dancing. It didn't last nearly as long as she wanted it to, but she'd take what she could get.

The true dilemma she was facing at the moment was whether or not she'd be able to escape now that Valentine was on high alert. The only thing that was on her side was that he had no idea what time the bus was leaving. If she pretended to go to bed and tried to sneak out once she knew he was passed out on the couch for good, it would be hours and many miles between them before he noticed she was gone.

It was not a solid plan at all, but Clary had to try. She needed that trip more than anyone on that list. Summers were the worst for her. Without school as an excuse, there was no way to escape his punishments for even a minute. So, it was either get out for a month and find a way to branch out on her own when she got back, or stay there until he eventually killed her.

The decision was obvious.

So, with her mind made up, Clary patiently waited for time to pass, for the sun to dip below the horizon and the moon to make itself known. It all seemed to happen at a snail's pace, but to pass the time, she packed her bag again, this time in increments to avoid suspicion.

The closer it got to nighttime, the more beers Valentine asked for and the more out of it he became. Knowing that he was close to being dead to the world, Clary tiptoed upstairs to put one last thing in her bag. She could still hear sportscasters speaking quietly on the TV as she walked across the wooden floor of her room until she got to the right spot.

Kneeling down, Clary tried her best to lift the loose floorboard off without a sound. Then she dug in and grasped the wads of cash she had stuffed inside, fanning it out to make sure it was all there. It was a little over two-thousand dollars—not much, but it was all she'd been able to make over the years of living under her father's control. Between odd jobs, favors, and dancing on street corners for spare change, this was all the money she had to her name.

With a sigh, Clary put the money in her duffel bag and pulled out her phone to check the time. It was a little past nine o'clock, almost time for Simon to be there. In fact, she had a new text from him.

_Be there in 15. You ready? ~Si_

Taking a deep breath, her heart pounding against her ribs, Clary responded.

_Ready. ~Clare_

Despite her nerves, when Clary thought about the possibilities this trip could offer, a bout of determination surged through her. She was going to make it to that bus, by any means necessary.

Clary moved swiftly, putting on her chucks and a light jacket. Then she zipped up her bag and swung it over her shoulder before tucking her phone into her back pocket.

The house was still quiet, the only sound coming from the TV and her panting breaths. That determination was still in her, but it was slowly being taken over by her anxiety as she walked down the stairs and shuffled toward the living room. Clary had to make sure he was asleep before she even attempted to walk out that door.

But as she peeked around the corner to get a view of the living room, Valentine wasn't in his usual spot on the couch. Her heart sank when she heard a long sigh from the kitchen. Right behind her.

"Why do you make it your mission to defy me, Clarissa?" Valentine slurred, proving that he was still very much intoxicated.

Turning around slowly, Clary took in the scene before her. Her father, with a glass of dark liquor in his hand, that small glint he always got in his eye when he was about to punish her. This time was going to be so much worse, though. She didn't know why or how, but she just knew.

"I just . . . I have to go, Dad."

"You're not leaving this house," he bit out. "I don't care what kind of fairy tales you've created in that shit brain of yours, but you will not walk out that door ever again without my say-so." He took another sip of his drink. "Now give me the goddamn bag, and get to cleaning."

Clary knew that she could never hand over her bag and risk him finding that money. She'd worked way too hard for it. So, instead of doing what he said, she simply stood there.

"Now, Clarissa!" Valentine roared, slamming his drink down on the counter, smashing the glass and slicing his own hand.

As he winced and looked down to check his wounds, Clary took that chance to try and make a run for it. But she wasn't fast enough. The minute she turned away from him, his good hand reached out to grab a chunk of her hair, yanking her back to him.

The pain seared through her scalp as he dragged her further into the kitchen before throwing her back against the counter by the stove. Her hip caught the edge of it, but hopefully not hard enough to cause a bruise.

His hand was still in her hair when he said menacingly, "I hope this was all worth it for all the things I'm going to do to you. You can forget everything outside of these four walls because you won't be seeing any of it anytime soon. Your pathetic dance classes, that friend of yours, all gone. I am going to make your life a living _hell_, Clarissa. Maybe then you'll learn to obey me."

A fire was lit under her at his words. This was the moment that would decide her future. She couldn't back down, not tonight. She couldn't allow him to take anything else away from her.

So, with all the strength she had in her, Clary raised her foot and slammed it down onto one of his sock-covered feet. Valentine's eyes widened in shock and he growled in pain, his grip temporarily loosening in her hair. Though, it was only a second later that his large hand wrapped around her throat and squeezed.

Clary gasped and immediately began clawing at his hand, her eyes pleading with him to stop. That only seemed to please him as a sadistic grin formed on his face. She was slowly running out of air, and in a last ditch effort she began feeling around for anything that could help her. Then she remembered the pan she'd used to make him dinner and her hand immediately went to the stove where she knew she'd left it.

When her hand made contact with the handle, Clary gripped it hard, and without thinking, she swung. The heavy metal made contact with the side of his head, knocking him off balance and making him release her. And since he was already inebriated, he stumbled back and dropped to the floor in a large heap.

He was out cold.

Clary coughed a few times, gasping in air to get the oxygen back in her lungs. She couldn't believe what she'd just done, but she was proud of herself for finally standing up to him after all those years.

Dropping the pan back onto the stove, Clary righted herself so she was standing tall and got herself together. Then she stepped over her father's unconscious body, leaned down to pick up her bag and slung it back over her shoulder. Her heart was pounding as she quickly made it out of the house, taking off in a sprint down the street. She'd never ran so fast in her life, but she couldn't take any chances.

Fresh air slapped against her face as Clary ran, her hair flying everywhere. An array of emotions took over her body, but most of all she just felt free. This was the first time in a while that she felt like she had control of her life.

Up ahead there was a pair of headlights coming closer, and Clary slowed to a jog once she recognized it as Simon's station wagon. She waved her hands to get his attention until he pulled up beside her. Then she quickly got in and tossed her bag in the backseat.

"Clary, what's going on?" Simon asked, looking a little worried.

She bit her lip, eyes darting everywhere. "I promise I'll tell you about it later, but right now I really need you to drive, Simon."

He glanced back toward her house with a skeptical look on his face, but did as she said and turned the car around. As they sped away, Clary didn't stop checking her surroundings.

For some reason she knew that this wasn't the last she'd see of Valentine.

.o.O.o.

Clary didn't release the breath she was holding until they got onto the bus and took their seats. They were somewhat early, but that only gave her a little time to calm herself down. As other graduates piled onto the bus, all talking excitedly, she sat back and got comfortable.

"Can you believe we're doing this?" Simon asked.

"No," she laughed nervously. "I've never done anything like this before. You?"

Simon snorted and pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Are you kidding? I had to beg my mother to let me go. She's so worried about her 'little Jewish boy' going out into the world. She even made me pack my Torah and promise to call her every morning and every night. I'm actually ninety percent sure she's on this bus in disguise."

Clary didn't tell him that when his mother eventually passed away, he'd miss having someone to worry about him like that. She hoped he took every day he had with her for the gift that it was.

She smiled. "I wouldn't put it past her, Si."

He returned the smile, but it slowly turned into a big yawn.

Clary raised a brow. "Sleepy?"

"Exhausted," he said. "I've been up all day with my mother running around making sure I had everything."

Clary ruffled his dark curls. "You should sleep, silly. We're going to D.C. first so we should be there in approximately," she checked her phone, "five hours."

Simon's eyes widened. "Okay, there's no way I'll be able to stay awake for that long," he said, yawning once again. "I'm going to sleep, Clare. You should join me."

Clary watched as he plugged his headphones into his old iPod and put them over his head. "Don't worry, I'm right behind you. It's been a long day."

He nodded, eyelids already drooping down as he pressed play on his iPod and got comfortable with rock blasting in his ears. She'd never understand how he could sleep like that, but she knew from years of being his best friend that it always did the trick.

After a moment, the driver of their fancy, air-conditioned bus came over the intercom.

"Hello, Ladies and Gentlemen. I am very excited to be one of your drivers for this coast to coast trip. In a minute we will begin our journey to our first stop, Washington D.C. So, sit back and enjoy the ride."

There were hoots and claps of enthusiasm. Clary may have been part of the latter, but that wasn't important. Though she did feel herself physically buzzing when the bus began pulling off. This was it, the trip of a lifetime started now.

Clary was just starting to relax completely after about ten minutes when the older man's voice returned to the intercom.

"Sorry, Ladies and Gentlemen. Seems as though my partner forgot to fill up the tank before he handed the bus over to me. We'll be making a short stop at the gas station up ahead. So, if anyone wants to purchase any snacks or other items feel free to, but be sure to be back within ten minutes please."

Clary wasn't interested in snacks, but she wouldn't mind getting a chance to assess the damage her father might have caused. She ran out of there so fast she hadn't gotten a chance to see if she was alright.

So, while the bus stopped at a gas station slash convenience store, Clary stood with a few others who also wanted to take advantage of this unplanned stop. She thought about waking Simon up to at least ask him to watch her bag but by the look on his face, she knew he was already fast asleep.

Taking her bag with her instead, Clary followed the others off the bus and into the well lit convenience store. While the others dispersed in obvious search of food, Clary politely asked the cashier for directions to the bathroom. He pointed down a long hallway near the back and she nodded her thanks before heading that way.

Unlike the rest of the store, the long hallway was dimly lit and had a bunch of stuff lined up against it, but all she needed was a few minutes in front of a mirror to assess her body. The bus had a bathroom, but the mirror was the size of her hand and would not be helpful at all.

As Clary walked down the hall, she saw a tall, leggy blonde leaving the woman's bathroom. Her hair was pretty messy and her cheeks were slightly flushed, and when the girl glanced up she saw a delighted glint in her bright blue eyes.

Clary didn't know what to think of it, but her mind immediately cut off that train of thought as she focused on the task at hand. Once she got to the woman's bathroom, she twisted the knob and pushed inside. When the door shut behind her, she could've sworn that she heard a strange noise on the other side, but ignored it in favor of being quick.

She noticed that only one of the three stalls were closed and the rest of the bathroom was empty. Letting out a sigh of relief, Clary stepped up to the sink and was pleased to be able to see almost her whole body in the reflection. She kept her time limit in mind as she placed her duffel bag on the floor and listened closely to the other woman in the stall. She didn't seem to be quite finished because she heard a little shuffling but no flush yet.

Getting closer to the mirror, Clary took a look at her throat first, looking for any trace of Valentine's fingers. Thankfully, it didn't seem like he held her long enough to leave a mark, but then she turned around and lifted her shirt a little to check her hip. It'd hurt like hell when he threw her against that counter, and the small bruise beginning to form right above her jeans was proof of that.

Tears slowly started coming to her eyes when the stall behind her suddenly sprang open, metal clanging against metal. It made Clary jump because she was expecting to at least hear a flush before the woman emerged, but when she spun around, she was completely caught off guard.

The person in front of her was not a woman. It was a man. He was zipping up his jeans as he exited the stall, his eyes rising to meet hers. Which was even worse, because that was when she recognized him.

Jace Lightwood.

Clary would know those golden eyes anywhere. Of course she'd never seen them this close before, or him, but they were unmistakable. So were his large muscles, curly blonde hair, tattoos, and full lips that she heard were always formed in either a sly smirk or a scowl.

He was the resident bad boy of their neighborhood, and she'd only seen him a few times here and there when he used to go to her school. He'd been a couple grades above her when he eventually got expelled for fighting. After that he seemed to just do his own thing, and the last she heard, he was hanging with a crowd that screamed bad news.

What Clary wanted to know was why he was in this bathroom with her, but before she could find the courage to ask, he spoke up.

"Problem?" he asked, his voice deep and somewhat raspy.

"Um, n–no. Just wondering if you were aware that this was . . ."

He raised a brow. "The woman's bathroom? Yeah, I was." With no further explanation, he brushed past her and turned on the faucet.

Clary was still staring at the space he'd been occupying, very confused, when the distinct sound of a bus engine starting up flowed through the cracked window in the bathroom. Overtaken with panic, she snatched her bag off the floor and darted over to the door, grasping the knob and pushing. The door didn't budge. She tried again and again, even throwing her body against it, but she got the same result.

That was when the panic really set in and she began banging on the door with both her fists, yelling for someone to get her out of there.

"What the hell is your deal?" he grumbled, clearly annoyed by the scene she was making.

"The door," she whispered, too distraught to make complete sentences.

"What about it?"

Clary turned to meet his gaze, and she knew he could see the alarm in her eyes.

"It's locked."

* * *

**What did you think?**

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**Let me know!**

**A/N: Clace meeting anyone? Also, I know you've been dying to get inside Jace's head, and the next chapter won't disappoint. Not giving anything away, but it was a joy to write. Anyway, enough about that, here's the chapter fact,**

**Fun fact: Cows kill more people than sharks do (So be nice, they're just blind puppies of the sea)**


	3. The Bathroom

**Hello my lovelies. Welcome back to The Detour. I'm glad you're all liking it so far, even though it's brand new content. I promise(or should I say cross my heart ;)) that I won't let you down. I am constantly growing as a writer and I'm so happy that you guys are on this journey with me. So, enjoy the chapter and those to come.**

**Also, big thank you to my awesome beta**

**Disclaimer: All TMI characters belong to Cassandra Clare :)**

* * *

_Chapter Songs:_

_**Can't Tell Me Nothing by Kanye West (Scene 1)_

_**Villains by JOHNNYSWIN (Scene 2)_

_**Fragile World by Alberto Rosende (Scene 3)_

* * *

Jace Lightwood thrust his hips up one last time into the woman whose legs were wrapped around his waist, his release temporarily calming the storm inside of his head.

When he arrived at the convenience store late that night to buy a pack of smokes, Kaelie had been there working with her father, who owned the gas station. She'd been eyeing him for the past few weeks when he stopped by, and he knew it was only a matter of time before she initiated something.

His theory had been confirmed when he walked through the door to see her manning the cash register. As soon as he purchased his cigarettes, Kaelie leaned in and whispered seductively, "Meet me in the bathroom in two minutes." Then she called out to her father that she was taking a break before closing and sashayed across the store, down a dimly lit hallway.

Jace was amused by her forwardness. She knew absolutely nothing about him—just the rumors she'd probably heard around town—but she was willing to let him screw her in a convenience store bathroom. He knew it wouldn't mean anything, but that just showed the power of his reputation.

Everyone wanted a piece of the bad boy at least once in their life. Jace was the guy women slept with just to have a wild story to tell their girlfriends or future husbands. He was just an experience for them, but he'd never found a reason to care. If they were going to use him, he was going to use them right back. He'd convinced himself a long time ago that meaningless flings were all he deserved.

Once they were finished, Kaelie giggled and dropped her legs from around his hips before smoothing her skirt back into place. "Wow. I can't believe it took us that long to do that."

"Yeah," Jace said flatly, already wanting to go. He didn't do small talk after sex. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Kaelie attempted to lean in and kiss him, but Jace put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why?" She pouted. "Didn't you enjoy yourself? I sure did."

It wasn't exactly memorable, but Jace didn't tell her that. He just pasted on his signature smirk and unwrapped her arms from around his neck. "Yeah, I did. It's just that I don't do the whole intimacy thing. We got what we wanted, and now it's over. You get that, right?"

"Yeah, I get it," she said. Then she looked him over one last time before opening the stall door. "Just let me know when you want to do that again." With a flick of her blonde hair, she walked away, hips swinging dramatically as she finally left him alone.

The temporary high Jace usually got from sex was now completely gone, which disappointed him more than he could admit. Sometimes he wondered if it would ever get better or if that was as good as it got. Even at nineteen, it actually scared him to think that there was something—or someone—out there that could give him better.

As Jace was tossing his protection and cleaning up, he heard the door open again. For a second he thought it was Kaelie coming back, until he heard the gentle sound of sneakers instead of the clacking of her heels.

When Jace glanced through the small slit in the stall and saw a flash of red, he cursed himself for not moving faster and getting lost in his thoughts. With the woman's timing, he knew she had to have seen Kaelie walking out looking like she did, which meant he was about to do a walk of shame. Though he couldn't have cared less about what others thought of him, this was not exactly how he wanted to be spending his Friday night.

Jace decided before he even opened the door that he would completely ignore the person on the other side. He'd pretend he didn't even know she was there. With that plan in mind, he reached out to unlock the stall door before throwing it open with a little more force than he meant to. His eyes were focused on his jeans as he zipped them up when he heard the tiny squeak come from the woman as she spun around to face him. The sound amused him and he couldn't help looking up to meet her gaze, which was a huge mistake.

Staring back at him was a pair of big green eyes, the color darker than anything he'd ever seen before. They were a little glassy, as if she'd been close to tears and Jace was frozen in place as he took her in.

She was petite, at least a foot shorter than him, so to look up at him she had to tip her head back. Her red hair was long and curly, the tresses falling halfway down her back. She had somewhat pale skin and the bridge of her nose was covered in freckles. Everything about her just seemed so . . . delicate.

Jace felt his heart rate pick up as he looked down at her, temporarily forgetting that he was supposed to be ignoring her. He didn't like it; he didn't like it at all.

Snapping back into focus, he stiffened up and narrowed his eyes. "Problem?" he asked, the question practically coming out as a growl.

She bit her lip, momentarily drawing his eyes to the dark pink flesh. "Um, n-no. Just wondering if you were aware that this was . . ."

Jace was making her nervous, and he didn't know how he felt about it. "The woman's bathroom? Yeah, I was." He couldn't handle what her looking into his eyes was doing to him, so without saying another word, he moved past her and turned on the faucet.

As Jace washed his hands, he couldn't help glancing back when she didn't move for a few seconds. It was almost as if he rattled her as much as she did him. But he didn't have much time to think it over because a moment later she was grabbing her bag and running to the door. He guessed she had some place to be or maybe she just wanted to get far away from him.

Jace tried to convince himself that he didn't care, seeing as though he would never see her again. He planned on hitting the road and leaving that shitty neighborhood behind anyway. It'd been four years since he was adopted by the Lightwoods, but he still felt like an outsider. He'd been nothing but trouble for them since the moment they signed those adoption papers. A stint in juvie, being expelled for fighting, constantly coming home late with mysterious bruises. Nothing he did brought anything good to the Lightwood name.

But now that his adopted siblings, Isabelle and Alec, were heading off to college—Alec for his second year and Isabelle for her first—Jace felt that there was no reason for him to stick around anymore. This was his way of unburdening the people who took him in, and giving them a chance to be a happy family without him.

Jace was shaken out of his thoughts once again when the girl began banging on the door and shouting. Before he could stop them, the words came flying out. "What the hell is your deal?"

She was still looking straight ahead. "The door," she whispered, looking completely stricken.

"What about it?" he asked, not understanding.

It was then she looked up at him, a helpless look in her eyes.

"It's locked."

.o.O.o.

At her words, Jace shook his head and dried his hands off with a paper towel. "You do know you're supposed to push, not pull, right?"

"Of course I do; I'm not an idiot. It just won't open." She went back to beating on the door and yelling for help.

"Here, let me try," he said, moving over to stand next to her by the door. Making sure not to touch her, he reached out to twist the knob. It moved, so he knew it couldn't have been locked, but when he pushed, he met a ton of resistance. "What the hell?"

"See, I told you!" She ran her hands through her hair. "Oh, my God. I can't believe this is happening."

Jace raised a brow. "What's the matter, princess? Running late for the ball?"

Her eyes snapped up to his. "My name is not princess, it's Clary, and I'm freaking out because the bus I was supposed to be on for my trip just took off without me. And the only person that would even notice I'm gone is—" she suddenly stopped her sentence and pulled her cellphone out of her back pocket, only pressing a couple of buttons before she was holding it to her ear.

Since Jace was so close, he could hear the phone ring for what felt like forever until it went to voicemail. She called a couple more times with the same result, and he could tell it was making her more frustrated by the second.

After seeing that she wasn't going to get an answer, she hung up and hit the door again. "Son of a biscuit!"

_Biscuit? Who was this girl? _

Even her name, Clary, was as unique as her personality seemed to be. Without even trying, he suddenly remembered a piece of a poem that was about clary sage:

_Soft, herbaceous _

_Bringing forth_

_Erotic and soft_

Jace felt his heart rate pick right back up as he replayed the words in his head. He was clearly losing his mind and needed to distance himself from her as soon as possible. With his hand on the doorknob, he attempted to open the door once again by throwing his body against it, but it was to no avail.

"It's not going to work," she told him. When he looked over at her she had a defeated look on her face. "Besides, it doesn't matter anymore. My bus is long gone and my best friend is fast asleep with no idea that I'm not sitting beside him." Jace watched as she slid down the wall and sat on top of her duffel bag. "I just don't know why no one can hear us."

"I'd say because no one is here," he told her. "I came in a little before closing, so I'm pretty sure the people who own this place are either on their way out or already gone. And even if they were here, it's pretty hard to hear anything over that loud ass air conditioner."

Clary looked up at him with wide eyes. "So you're saying . . ."

"We're on our own, princess. Either we find a way to get out of here, or we wait until someone finds us tomorrow morning."

"I told you my name was not princess, it's—"

"Clary, I know."

She folded her arms over her chest. "There's no way I can wait until then. My friend has to wake up sometime soon. He'll notice I'm gone and ask the bus driver to turn around."

"Are you sure about that?"

"I have to be," she whispered. "If I can't go on that trip, I don't know what I'll do."

By the look on her face, Jace believed her. After giving up on the door for now, he trailed over to the opposite side of the bathroom and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. "Then I guess we'll just have to wait for Prince Charming to come to the rescue," he deadpanned.

Clary watched as he put a cigarette between his lips. "What are you doing?"

He raised a brow as he lit it up. "What does it look like?"

"Those are bad for you, you know. They could kill you," she said.

Jace kept his eyes on her as he blew out the first puff of smoke. "Trust me, my hobbies will kill me before these do." She had a curious look on her face, but he didn't fill in any blanks for her. Of course it was a possibility that she'd heard the rumors.

Jace Lightwood, the street fighter.

It was a popular topic around town. How he made money beating the shit out of other men. That ever since he started at sixteen, he'd been an unstoppable force, with an almost perfect record. He took no pride in what he did, but the money was good and he was exceptional at it.

Though, a large part of him was tired of being at the organizers' beck and call. Jace understood that he was their prized fighter, but he didn't feel like it was all worth it anymore. That was why hitting the road and leaving it all behind seemed more appealing each day. He had no idea what he would do with his life, but he'd figure it out on his own. Like he always had.

Jace's attention went back to her as she stood, fidgeting with her fingers as he finished up the cigarette. It was clear she had something to say. "Spit it out," he grumbled.

Clary looked nervously at her feet. "It's just . . . I know who you are."

He chuckled as he flicked the butt into the sink. "That's not news. I'm pretty sure everyone around here has heard of me."

"But I haven't just heard of you, I've seen you around. We even went to the same high school at some point."

Jace cocked his head to the side. He had to admit that he was a little surprised to know that they briefly went to the same school. He'd never seen her, and he was sure if he had, he would've remembered her. "You mean before I got kicked out?" he said bitterly.

"I guess so. I was a couple grades below you, so it wasn't as if we had any classes together."

He blanched for a second. "Shit. How old are you?"

She furrowed her brows. "Eighteen. Why?"

Jace let himself relax. It made sense, considering he was almost twenty, though he had to be sure. He didn't know why that information mattered to him, but for some reason it did. Maybe it was because he knew the way he'd been looking at her, even if he didn't want to acknowledge it.

"No reason, just making conversation," he lied.

"You don't seem like the type," she said.

"What makes you think that?"

Clary tucked her hair behind her ear. "I don't know. Maybe because all you've done since we met is growl words at me, give me a heavy dose of sarcasm, and refuse to call me by my name."

Jace smirked. "But you learned all those things by conversing with me, yes?"

Her mouth fell open. "God, you're such a . . ."

"What, princess?" he asked, egging her on.

"You're such a . . . donut hole!" she huffed.

Jace stared at her for a second before bursting out laughing. God, this girl was a character. "Jesus fucking Christ." He attempted to compose himself. "Was that your way of calling me an asshole?"

Clary didn't answer his question, her slightly pink cheeks suggesting she was a little embarrassed. Turning her back to him, she walked back over to her bag and sat down. Her phone was once again in her hand as she seemed to send multiple texts.

Keeping his eyes on her, Jace slid down the wall opposite of her and took a seat. It wasn't as if they'd be leaving anytime soon, so he decided it'd be best to get comfortable—well as comfortable as a person could get in a convenience store bathroom. As he sat there, his tattooed arms resting on his bent knees, he tried to get his mind to focus on something else. Anything other than the intriguing redhead across from him.

"Why are you staring at me?"

Since he clearly wasn't succeeding, Jace decided to answer. "I'm not sure. Just trying to figure you out, I guess."

She broke eye contact, now looking down at her shoes. "Well, don't. There's no point in us getting to know each other. Once we get out of here, we'll never have to see or talk to each other again."

"But don't you think it's a little unfair that you know so much about me and I know nothing about you?" he asked.

Clary snorted. "I'd hardly consider hearing rumors about you from time to time as knowing you."

Jace narrowed his eyes. "So what is it that you think you know about me?"

Her eyes went to the sleeve of tattoos on his right arm, then to the butterfly bandage above his eyebrow. "I know you like getting into trouble. That some people consider you dangerous, others as some sort of god. You're very confident, but you also seem angry, bitter even."

This time, Jace was the one to break eye contact. He didn't want to admit it, but she was right, and that made him slightly uncomfortable. "Do you believe those things?"

"The rumors, you mean?" When he nodded, she continued. "I don't know. Do you think I should?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sure a lot of the stories you've heard are bullshit. I know there are people that fear me, and also some that want me, but I've never cared. I'm just trying to live my life the only way I know how."

Clary nodded in understanding, but said nothing. Somehow, Jace knew she wasn't judging him, and that made him relax a little more.

They sat in silence for a while. Time seemed to be moving at a snail's pace, but when he looked down at his watch, he realized that an hour had gone by without them speaking. She hadn't stopped looking at her phone the entire time, fidgeting more and more as her calls and texts went unanswered.

Even though he was someone who usually preferred the quiet, he couldn't help but try to learn more about her predicament.

"So, why is this trip such a big deal? I'm sure you and Prince Charming can go to Disneyland anytime, right?"

For a moment Clary said nothing, her eyes still trained on her phone. He had just about convinced himself that she was ignoring him until she suddenly spoke. "I know you're just being sarcastic, but this trip was really important to me. It was a month long coast to coast trip, all paid in full. My first chance to see the country outside of Brooklyn."

Jace noticed that she was speaking in the past tense, as if she'd already given up on the possibility of getting back on that bus. "How'd you come across that?"

"The school offers it every year to the students who graduate in the top twenty of their class. Ever since I heard about it freshman year, I worked my butt off to make sure I had a seat on that bus when the time came." She hugged her knees to her chest. "But now . . . now it seems like it was all for nothing."

Now Jace was beginning to understand why she reacted the way she did. "Well, if it's any consolation, I've seen a lot of places, and most of them are just as shitty as this one."

Clary looked over at him. "That doesn't help at all, actually."

He shrugged. "It was worth a shot."

Silence passed over them again until she spoke, but this time she seemed to hesitate. "Um, there's still one thing I'm confused about."

"And what's that?" he asked, drumming his fingers against his leg.

"What were you doing in the woman's bathroom?"

Jace furrowed his brows. "Are you serious?" He figured she would've made the connection after seeing Kaelie looking like _that_. Hell, even a ten-year-old could've made the connection.

"What? Am I supposed to know or something?" she asked.

He couldn't help but chuckle. "God, you really are that innocent aren't you? That girl you saw leaving before you got here, I was with her." When she still didn't seem to get it, he added, "You know . . . having sex."

Clary's eyes widened and she scrunched her nose. "You were making love with your girlfriend in _here_? Why?"

"First of all, I don't have a girlfriend. Second of all, I don't 'make love'. And I _screwed_ that girl in a bathroom stall because she wanted it," he told her, shrugging.

She bit her lip and looked down at her lap, her cheeks taking on that pink hue again. "Oh, okay. I see."

Jace scoffed. "What? Would you have preferred that I bought her flowers and fucking courted her first?"

"No, I didn't say that." She tucked more of her hair behind her ear. "That's just not the way I would want to do it. I'd like a little romance, or for the person to at least care about me."

"Well, good for you, but that's just not me. The less emotions involved, the better."

"Do you really believe that?" she asked, and she actually had the nerve to appear sorry for him. That only made him angry.

Jace raked his hand through his hair and clenched his jaw. "Okay, listen. If you want to find some douche that follows you around like some lovesick puppy and cries after he fucks you, that's your choice, princess. But don't judge me for wanting to make it out here on my own without getting attached to someone who will only complicate my already complicated life."

Clary's eyes widened and her lips parted slightly at his words. He knew it was crude and not something a girl like her was used to hearing, but it had to be said. He couldn't have her thinking that he was pathetic for not believing in relationships or love. He was better off without those things, because not having anything also meant he had nothing to lose.

Taking in a breath, she seemed to gather up enough courage to say her next words. "If you don't mind, I think it would be best if we just kept to ourselves while we wait this out."

Standing, Jace plucked another cigarette from his pack and placed it between his lips. It seemed as though they were back to square one, both attempting to pretend the other didn't exist. After that little exchange, he'd gladly take the silence. Only this time, he wouldn't screw it up.

"Agreed."

.o.O.o.

They hadn't spoken for hours. Clary stayed on her side of the bathroom and Jace stayed on his. The anger he'd once felt had dissipated, but he didn't dare utter a word. He wouldn't be the one to end their long stretch of silence.

It'd been hard to keep his mouth shut at first, but once her exhaustion caught up with her and she fell asleep, it became a little easier. That was until Jace realized he could watch her without getting questioned.

She was still in the corner, hugging her knees to her chest, her head now resting on the wall beside her. God, she looked even more innocent that way. He felt like an idiot, just sitting there staring at her, but for the life of him he couldn't stop. There was something about this girl that made him curious.

Usually when he was in the presence of the opposite sex, they were either throwing themselves at him or playing coy. But he had a feeling that Clary's shyness and hesitancy wasn't an act. She seemed kind, genuine. Someone who deserved to be as far away from him as possible. He knew from experience that his darkness would consume anyone who got too close.

As Jace watched her chest rise and fall, red tendrils rustling with each breath, he temporarily felt a calmness wash over him. He didn't understand it at all. It had to have been because he was tired and becoming delirious. Just because he couldn't figure her out didn't mean she was somehow special. After they got out of there, he doubted he'd ever think of her again.

Though, for now, Jace would cling to that calmness while it lasted. Tipping his head back, he rested it against the tiled wall and closed his eyes. He just stayed like that for a few moments, listening to her steady breathing—and in his worn out state, it sounded just like the ocean. Like the push and pull of the waves.

With his eyes closed, Jace could almost see it. The never ending crystals of sand, the blue sky reflected on the water, the sun slowly falling below the horizon. There was a poem somewhere in there, and he could think of a hundred poets who could perfectly convey those same images with their words.

If there was anything that connected him to his birth mother, it was the love of poetry. It was the idea that someone could take the simplest of words and turn them into a masterpiece. It wasn't something Jace ever told others about. He had a reputation to uphold after all, but he'd been passionate about it ever since he found her box of poetry at five years old.

Jace had lost count of the number of poems he'd memorized over the years. It had to have been hundreds, at least. Sometimes, when he least expected it, one would come to his mind without warning. It usually depended on his mood or what he was going through in that moment, but more often than not, it was out of his control.

Though, as he pictured those waves, he felt himself drifting more and more. And even though he'd slept in worse places in the past, he wanted to remain alert just in case. He swore to himself that he would only rest for a moment, nothing more. With that in mind, he released a sigh and allowed himself to relax.

Jace was jolted awake what had to have been minutes later, when a loud ringtone began blaring across from him. Clary was wide awake and standing, her attention on her phone as she quickly answered the call and put it on speaker.

"Si!" she gasped. "Thank God. I've been trying to reach you for hours."

"I've been asleep, and my phone was in my bag," some guy on the other line said. "Clary, where the heck are you, and why are you not on our bus?"

She looked over at Jace before answering. "We made a stop at a gas station a little after you fell asleep. I got off to use the bathroom and ended up getting locked in here somehow. Si, I'm . . . I'm still in Brooklyn."

"_What_?" the guy squeaked, and Jace had to hold back a chuckle. "And you're locked in a bathroom? How did that happen?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't still be in here. I just need you to do something for me," she said, pacing. "I need you to go to the bus driver and ask him to turn the bus around and come get me."

"That was the first thing I did when I realized you were gone."

"And?" Clary asked, starting to nibble on her bottom lip.

"Clare . . ." her friend hesitated. "We're in D.C. We just got here a few minutes ago."

"No," she whispered.

Jace looked down at his watch with furrowed brows, his eyes widening once he realized he hadn't been asleep for just a few minutes, but for almost an hour.

"Yeah, they're about to check us into the hotel," her friend continued. "Look, Clary, I need you to know I begged the bus driver to go back once I read your texts, but . . ."

Jesus, Jace wished the guy would just spit it out already.

"But what, Si?"

"He said that it wouldn't be possible. That we're on a tight schedule and turning back would derail the whole trip. He also said you'd be considered a liability, because it's possible you could get left behind again." Clary simply stared down at her phone, and her friend sighed at her silence. "I'm so sorry, Clare. If you want, I can get off and get a bus back home—"

"No," she said, her tone defeated. "There's no reason for both of us to ruin our trip. Stay and enjoy it, I'll be okay. Hey, at least this way I won't have to miss my classes."

Jace could tell by looking at her that she was barely holding it together, but she was trying to appear strong for this guy.

"It won't be the same without you. We were supposed to do this together."

Clary stopped pacing for a moment. "I know, but it's only a month. Don't worry about me; I'll get a chance to see it all someday. I promise."

Excitement suddenly entered his voice. "Hey, maybe you can get another bus and meet us here. They'll have no other choice but to let you back on."

But Clary just sighed. "Like you said, they consider me a liability. I don't think it's going to be possible for me to get back on that bus, Si."

"So, this is goodbye?"

"Goodbye for now," she said. "Take lots of pictures and get a souvenir or two for me, but most of all have fun. I'll see you when you get back, okay?"

"Okay," her friend conceded. "Let me know when you get out of there and make it home."

"I definitely will. Get some sleep for both of us." After saying their goodbyes, Clary hung up and tucked her phone back into her pocket. She was very quiet for a few moments after ending the call, a blank look on her face. Jace figured she'd at least have some kind of reaction to what they'd just heard, but there was a stillness in her that gave him pause. It was like looking at a pot of simmering water right before it began to boil.

Like the asshole he was, Jace couldn't help making a comment in that moment. "So, I guess Prince Charming couldn't come to the rescue. Looks like we're fucked, princess."

Like a flick of a switch, Clary's eyes narrowed on him and her fists clenched at her sides. Then . . . then it happened.

She lost it.

It started with one tear falling down her pale cheek, then another, until sobs suddenly wracked her body. Her hands went to her face, her shoulders shaking and body trembling as she cried. Jace could do nothing but watch as she fell apart quietly in front of him. He knew a better person would've gotten up and tried to comfort her, but he'd been nothing but an asshole to her and was sure she didn't want him anywhere near her. And even if she did, Jace wouldn't know the first thing to do.

So, he just sat there, his back to the wall and his gaze on her as she let it all out. If there had been a way out of there, he would've taken it. He didn't do well with emotions, of any kind, and hers were out of control.

For several minutes, Clary just cried and cried . . . and cried. She cried until her quiet sobs turned into little sniffles, and her sniffles turned into shuddered breaths. It was a roller coaster to watch, and once her hands fell from her face, revealing her glistening eyes and pink cheeks, Jace was surprised to feel his hand twitch. As if it wanted to reach out to her.

_What the hell?_

Scoffing to himself, Jace tucked his hands into his pockets and dropped his gaze from her face.

"I'm sorry if I annoyed you," she said, her voice surprisingly soft. "I guess everything just hit me. Like you said, we're fudged."

He smirked. "Fucked. I said we're fucked."

She shrugged, wiping her face. "That's what I said."

With an amused chuckle, Jace rose to his feet and ran a hand through his hair. "Guess we'll just have to wait a few more hours for the owner."

Clary's gaze met his as she wiped the last tear from her cheek. A look of determination suddenly formed on her face as she shook her head. "No."

"No?"

"I'm not waiting in this disgusting bathroom for a second longer." Turning her back on him, she strolled over to the door and pushed on it again. When it didn't open, she leaned down until she was on her belly and glanced under it. "There's definitely something blocking the door," she said.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious."

Clary turned to him with a finger against her lips. He rolled his eyes as she faced the door again and began knocking on the lowest part. He had no idea what she was doing, but he stood aside and let her do it, because it was clear that she needed this.

About a quarter way up, she gasped. "Oh, my God. Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Listen!" She began knocking at the bottom of the door again, slowly working her way up. Jace listened closely as she did, and realization washed over him when he heard the dull knocks suddenly turn hollow. "Hear it now?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I do."

Suddenly, she stood and he could've sworn he saw her wince a little before she got to her feet, but then she was marching into one of the bathroom stalls, clearly avoiding the one she saw him emerge from earlier. There was shuffling and a clang before she walked back out, the cover to the back of the toilet in her hands.

Jace's eyes widened. "Woah, woah, woah. What do you think you're doing?"

Clary paused in front of the door, her eyes meeting his. "I'm getting us out of here." Gripping the cover hard, she drew back and slammed it forward, the impact making the wood crack. She grinned at the sight and struck the door again, putting a little more force behind it this time. It was like she was using that cover as a makeshift battering ram. And miraculously, the damn thing was working.

Jace didn't understand this girl at all. One minute she was looking shyly at her feet and fidgeting with her fingers, and the next she was smashing a toilet cover into a door with the determination of a bull. It was as much a mystery as any.

Although Clary seemed very determined to get it done on her own, the energy she was exerting was starting to catch up with her. It was clear that her adrenaline was dwindling and the power behind her swings was getting weaker and weaker.

Knowing that she wouldn't last much longer, Jace stepped up to her and grasped the cover. "I've got it."

Clary looked up at him, seeming to hesitate for a split second, but then she released her grip and allowed him to take over. There was already a fist-sized hole in the center of the door, with cracks going every which way. He figured that it'd be a good place to start as he moved to finish what she started.

With Jace's much more powerful swings, that fist-sized hole quickly became larger and larger. Considering he was used to using his strength to fight other men, this was practically a cakewalk. If anything, it was sort of therapeutic. It gave him an excuse to release some pent up anger and frustration. Though he preferred punching assholes in the face, the door would have to do.

After the hole was big enough to look through, Jace dropped the toilet cover as he and Clary took a peek.

"Is that . . ."

Jace scoffed. "A fucking box."

"Of canned soup," she added. "Looks like it fell right between the door and that wall. I guess that's the noise I heard after I got in here."

He narrowed his eyes. "Noise?"

Clary bit her lip. "I didn't think anything of it at the time, but yes I heard a noise. Although, knowing about a noise wouldn't have helped us. A blocked door is a blocked door."

Jace didn't answer. He simply reached up and began ripping off chunks of the door with his bare hands. They'd already made the wood fragile by repeatedly smashing the cover into it, so the rest was easy. Well, for him anyway.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Clary watching him with rapt attention as he tore it all apart. It was odd, because she wasn't checking him out the way he was used to. She appeared to be amazed by his strength alone, not his looks—and Jace refused to acknowledge how that made him feel. It was better for him if women just considered him eye candy and nothing more.

Once he figured he'd torn away enough pieces, he turned to her. "Think you can fit through there?"

Clary looked through the hole and then down at herself. "Um, I think so."

Jace nodded and brushed his hands on his jeans. "Hand me your bag." She looked a little skeptical, but when he gave her an impatient look, she sighed and handed it over.

"Be careful with that," she said.

He rolled his eyes. "Sure thing, princess."

"It's Cl—" she stopped herself. "You know what, it doesn't matter. After this, we'll be on our separate ways."

After carefully dropping the duffel bag on the other side of the door, he stood aside and gestured for her to go through. Tucking her hair behind her ear, Clary stepped forward and threw her leg over the chunk of wood still there, the rest of her body following. Everything seemed to be going fine until she set foot on top of the box and slipped.

Without thinking, Jace reached one hand out to grasp her hand, the other going to her waist to steady her. Clary sucked in a breath, whether from the close call or the sudden contact, he didn't know. But what he didn't expect was the shock that went up his hand where they were connected.

They both froze for a second, and Clary looked up at him with those big green eyes. Glancing down at their hands, Jace couldn't help but notice the contrast between his scarred, tanned hand and her delicate, pale one. That contrast alone was enough to snap him back into reality. This shouldn't be happening.

Releasing her like he'd been burned, Jace stepped back and cleared his throat. "You alright?"

Clary visibly swallowed before nodding. "Yeah." Then she carefully moved the rest of the way out, sticking the landing this time.

After pushing the large box of soup out of the way, she opened the door so he could get out also. It felt good to finally be on the other side of that door. But then he looked down at the damage they'd caused.

"What are we going to do about all this?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Leave it and get out of here before we get caught."

Clary frowned. "We can't just leave it like this."

Rolling his eyes, Jace dug into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. After plucking out a few large bills, he dropped it onto the discarded box and met her gaze. "There. Does that make you feel better?"

Her eyes widened in surprise, but then she seemed to recover, giving him a smile. "That's actually very kind of you."

He scoffed and brushed past her to get to the back exit. "Whatever," he muttered. Pushing through the door, he welcomed the fresh summer air that immediately filled his lungs. The sun was just on the brink of rising, so it was still pretty dark. There was also a stillness in the air, like the world was on pause. It was his favorite time of day.

Clary followed slowly as he rounded the corner, her bag thrown over her shoulder. Jace grinned once he spotted his classic 1967 Ford Mustang right where he left it. The black Shelby GT500 was his baby and he was very protective of it, which was why he parked it on the side of the building and not in front of it.

Once Jace reached his car, he glanced back to see Clary standing a couple yards away, looking a little lost.

"You live around here?" he asked.

She came a little closer. "Um, yeah. A few miles from here, actually."

Nodding, Jace dug into his pocket for his keys. "Okay. Get in, I'll drive you home." Unlocking the door, he waited for her to get in, but when his eyes fell on her again, her demeanor had completely changed.

Clary stood there frozen, her chest rising and falling faster than it had been before. She'd gotten paler, if that were actually possible, and her eyes were wide with . . . fear. He recognized that look immediately, but this girl wasn't just a little scared. She was absolutely terrified. Paralyzed with it.

"Everything alright?" he asked.

"I just—I can't go home. I can't," she whispered, almost to herself.

Jace watched her closely. This was another side of her he didn't expect to see. "Okay, where do you want to go?"

Her gaze met his as she let out a shaky breath. "I want to go on my trip. That was all I ever wanted and now that opportunity is gone. You have no idea what that means for me."

She was right, he didn't know. But for some insane reason, Jace couldn't allow himself to walk away in that moment. This girl's life was none of his concern, and he had enough baggage of his own without tacking on someone else's. It should've been easy to leave, it'd never been hard before. But that haunted look in her eyes spoke to him, almost as if he could see his own pain reflected in them. Pain that he worked his entire life to bury.

What Jace was about to do next could turn out to be a huge mistake, but the alternative—leaving her there to face whatever this was—would torment him for a long time. He'd always wonder what if, and he didn't want that weight on his shoulders. He didn't believe in fate or destiny, but maybe there was a reason why they were both locked in that bathroom together. So, he mentally prepared himself before he spoke.

"What if it wasn't?" he forced himself to say.

Clary looked confused. "What?"

Jace ran a hand through his hair. "What if the opportunity wasn't gone?"

"Still not following."

He sighed. "Look, I was planning on hitting the road soon anyway. There's nothing left for me here and I guess you could say I'm looking for a new place to plant some roots."

"Okay, but what does that have to do with me?"

"I assume you did your research on the places you wanted to see?"

"Of course," she said.

Jace shrugged. "Well, maybe I'm in need of a tour guide. Someone to show me the kickass places around this country."

Clary finally moved, stepping closer to him. "Are you saying . . ."

He rolled his eyes. "Jesus Christ, do I really have to spell it out for you? Do you want to go on your precious trip or not?"

"Oh, my God. You're serious? This isn't a joke?" When he shook his head, that fear visibly left her body, replaced by shock and awe. "How would that even work? I don't have enough money to make this trip on my own."

"What if I told you money was no object?" he asked her—because it wasn't. All of the money he'd made fighting had been stashed away in a secret account for when he decided to venture out on his own.

"I'd be a little surprised, but considering what you just did back there, I'd believe it."

"Good, because it's true. I'll pay for everything."

Clary looked up at him. "Why would you do that for me? You don't even know me."

Jace shrugged. "You're right, I don't, but maybe I want some good karma for once. Also, it doesn't seem like you have anywhere else to go."

"And why would I trust you, after the things I've heard?" she asked.

He sighed and glanced over her head. "I won't lie and say I'm a good person or someone you should trust, but I'm offering this to you because I think you need this escape as much as I do. So, take it or leave it."

Clary furrowed her brows. "So, you'll take me wherever I want to go and you'll pay for all of it, no questions asked?"

He met her gaze. "Pretty sure that's what I said."

She smiled big. "Then heck yes!" Without warning, she lunged forward to wrap her arms around his waist.

Jace immediately tensed, untangling himself from her before she could really hug him. "Okay, but there will be rules. First rule is no more of that."

She blushed and backed away. "Sorry. Um, what are the other rules?"

"We'll go over them on the way." After taking her bag and putting it in the trunk, he unlocked the door. "Now get in."

Clary grinned and hurried to get into the passenger seat, buckling herself in. She was practically buzzing as he started up the car. It was a complete one-eighty from a few minutes ago, and he sensed what was waiting for her at home must have been pretty bad if she was willing to get into a car with him. Especially considering the things she admitted to hearing about him. Though, he tried not to think about that.

She looked over at him. "Can I ask where we're going?"

He suddenly slammed on the gas, causing her to squeal as they sped down the road. She held onto her seat with a death grip, and Jace couldn't help but smirk as he answered.

"First stop is my house, princess."

* * *

**What did you think?**

**Love it? Hate it?**

**Let me know!**

**A/N: So the journey begins! This is the turning point I've been waiting to get to. As you can see there was an instant attraction between these two, and while there will be no insta-love, you will see that Jace quickly develops a soft spot for the redhead. I cannot wait for you to read it! (P.S. the poem "Clary Sage" is by Rose Heart) Anyway, enough about that, here's the chapter fact,**

**Fun fact: Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a "Friday the 13th."**


	4. The Lightwoods

**Hello my lovelies. I hope you're all having a wonderful day (if not, I hope this chapter improves your mood!) Words cannot describe how happy I am to be writing again, and it's because of you guys that I enjoy it so much. Please know that your feedback means everything to me and is what keeps me motivated. I love you all :)**

**This chapter has been edited by my amazing beta**

**Disclaimer: All TMI characters belong to Cassandra Clare :)**

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_Chapter Songs:_

_**Kaleidoscopes by Transviolet ft. Reo Cragun (Scene 1)_

_**Sunflower by Post Malone and Swae Lee (Scene 2)_

_**Make Me Feel by Janelle Monáe (Scene 3)_

* * *

". . . Rule number four: under no circumstances will you drive my car."

Clary was still holding onto her seat for dear life as Jace Lightwood drove through the streets of Brooklyn like a madman. It was as if he were auditioning for a role in _The Fast and the Furious_. But as she looked over at him, she noticed that he looked cool, calm, and collected. Like he was completely in control.

He'd been rattling off his rules for the past few minutes, taking his sweet time to think of them. So far, there was to be no physical contact between them, no commenting on his smoking, no annoying him, and now she wasn't allowed to drive his car. Considering she didn't even know _how_ to drive, the last one wasn't really a problem.

Though, Clary was barely paying attention to what he was saying. She had no idea what she was doing in that car with him. Nothing from their encounter in the bathroom suggested they would do anything but go their separate ways once they escaped. But then he'd offered to take her home and the panic really set in.

She couldn't go back. Not now, maybe not ever. That night was the first time she'd fought back against her father, and she knew that if she were to face him again, he wouldn't hesitate to hurt her more than he ever had.

So, it was either take Jace up on his offer, or return home and seal her fate. The former wasn't exactly desirable, but it was the lesser of two evils. Of course, Clary was ecstatic that she could still go on her trip, but she also wished she could experience it with her best friend instead of the crude, sarcastic man beside her.

Jace seemed like a lone wolf, so it was a mystery as to why he wanted her to tag along. From what she'd seen from him so far, she knew he could have easily gotten into his car and left her there without it weighing on his conscious. Instead, he went out of his way to give her what she wanted, and Clary had to know why.

"Lastly, there will be no personal questions," he said, finally finishing his spiel.

Clary nodded, her eyes drifting over to him once again. His golden eyes were trained forward, his left hand gripping the wheel while he drummed his fingers against his jean clad thigh with his right. The number of tattoos he had winding up his arm was astounding, and in the darkness she couldn't make out much details, but they didn't seem at all dark or scary.

Looking back down at herself, Clary began fidgeting with her fingers. "Why are you doing this, really? You could have just sent me on my way, but you didn't. Why?"

Jace shook his head. "Jesus Christ," he muttered. "You know what? I think we need to add another rule. No asking me about why I'm doing this, okay?"

Clary sighed. "Fine, but for whatever reason it was, I want to say thank you."

"I guarantee you'll be rescinding those words before we even make it to our first stop tonight," he told her.

"Tonight? We're not going after you get your things?"

He glanced over at her. "No. You need sleep. We both do, actually."

He made a turn and Clary noticed they were starting to enter the more expensive part of town. Apartments and single family houses gradually turned into very large houses with big yards and neatly cut grass. Her jaw went slack as they drove further and further into the neighborhood, each house bigger and more extravagant than the last.

Then Jace made another turn, and a few moments later he pulled up in front of a sprawling mansion three times the size of her own house. It was amazing. All white with a beautiful garden in the front, and twinkling lawn lights leading to the front door.

After parking next to a couple other fancy cars, Jace shifted gears before removing his keys. "Let's go."

Glad to be off the road, Clary slowly unbuckled her seatbelt and emerged from the car, her gaze fixed on the house in front of her. "This is where you live?"

He looked at her over the hood of his car. "For the most part."

She knew there was more to the story, but she didn't dare ask. She just allowed herself to be amazed. "Money is no object," she whispered. "Got it."

Jace made his way over to the trunk and took out her bag, throwing it over his shoulder. Then, without a word, he started walking toward the front door, leaving Clary to catch up with his long strides. After quickly unlocking the door, he gestured for her to go inside first.

The inside of the house was dark and quiet, but considering it was just as dark outside, Clary's eyes quickly adjusted. In front of her was a huge entryway with shiny wooden floors and a nice round rug sitting under a circular table. When she looked up, she saw an unlit chandelier, the crystals catching the moonlight just before Jace closed the door behind them.

It was quite a house, and that was just after seeing one room. Clary immediately felt out of place. She'd never been in the presence of such luxury and it was almost making her uncomfortable. Then she heard a voice from behind her.

"I had the same reaction when I first saw this place," Jace told her. "It was the most pretentious display of wealth I'd ever seen, but don't let it fool you. All of this hasn't gone to their heads." He cleared his throat. "They're good people."

Clary turned to look at him. "I just don't want to intrude. They couldn't possibly be okay with a stranger being in their house."

Moving to stand in front of her, Jace dropped her bag to his side. "You'd be surprised." His eyes quickly trailed over her. "But if anyone asks, just tell them you're with me."

Her throat suddenly became dry. "W-With you?"

He furrowed his brows. "Yeah. Unless you want them to think you broke in."

Clary felt herself blush as she nodded, thankful for the darkness. "Of course," she said. "So, how do we do this?"

With a head jerk in the direction of the stairs, he said, "Follow me."

So, she did. He led her over to a winding staircase on the other side of the room. As they walked, she couldn't help but notice that for such a tall and muscular man, he sure was light on his feet. Even with the added weight of her bag, his footsteps barely made a sound.

They were walking down a long hallway with many doors on each side when Jace suddenly stopped in front of one of them, forcing Clary to take a step back to avoid their bodies touching. He clearly had an issue with that, considering how quickly he tensed when it happened. She had no idea what that was about, but it was another question she refused to ask.

They both entered the room quietly, Jace setting her bag down before turning on the lights. Looking around, Clary noticed that the room was very simple and neat, nothing like what she pictured a bedroom in that place would look like.

"This is my brother's room," he explained. "Alec's home from college, but he's staying at his boyfriend's. He practically lives there now, so you sleeping here shouldn't be a problem."

"Don't you have a guest room with a house this size?" she asked.

"We did, but one was turned into an office and the other a library, so this is the best I can do." He crossed his arms and sent her a smirk. "Will this be enough for you, princess? Or should I kick my parents out of their bed so you can have the master?"

She rolled her eyes. "You know, it's ironic that you call me that when you live in a place like this."

He gave a low chuckle. "Maybe, but that doesn't change anything."

Clary simply huffed out a breath and turned to survey the room a little more. The bed did look comfortable, way more comfortable than the mattress she'd slept on since she was a kid. Besides, she only needed it for a few hours.

Stepping closer to her, Jace ran a hand through his hair, his expression turning somber. "Look, I know a lot of shit happened tonight, but you're clearly exhausted. So go get cleaned up and get some sleep." He motioned to a door beside the bed. "Bathroom is in there. Towels and everything are by the shower. Good luck."

He turned on his heel to leave, but before he could, she called out to him.

"Jace?"

Slowly turning back around, he raised a brow but said nothing as his intense golden eyes assessed her.

Clary tucked a wayward curl behind her ear. "You know what we're doing is completely crazy, right? I mean, in no way can this be a good idea."

Jace was quiet for a moment before he finally spoke. "'_There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so._'"

Her eyes widened. "Did you just . . . quote Shakespeare?" It was totally out of left field. Definitely not something she was expecting from the tattooed bad boy in front of her.

His expression morphed into one of surprise, brows furrowing as his gaze bored into hers. He looked as if he wanted to say something in response, but before he could, the door to the bedroom opened again.

"Alec? What are you doing home so earl—oh!"

Clary looked past Jace to see a girl dressed in silky pink pajamas standing in the doorway. She was tall, with dark eyes and jet-black hair falling to her waist. It didn't take her long to figure out who she was.

Isabelle Lightwood. Jace's sister. Clary recognized her from school, but only from passing her in the hallway. They were from two completely different social classes. If she were a yearbook superlative, she'd be "least likely to be remembered." While Isabelle would be something like, "most likely to become a runway model."

It would have been easy to hate her, but from what she'd seen and heard, Isabelle was as kind-hearted as a person could be.

Clearing her throat, she looked between the two of them, curiosity written all over her face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

"It's fine, Izzy," Jace responded, still not taking his eyes off her. "I was just going to bed."

Isabelle crossed her arms. "Um, care to clue me in on what's going on? Who's this?"

Jace released a sigh, finally tearing his gaze away from hers to look at his sister. "Izzy, this is Clary. Princess, this is my pesky little sister, Izzy." His tone was full of sarcasm, but by the way Isabelle didn't react, she must have been used to it. "We're going on a trip. She'll be staying here while I pack up."

Isabelle's mouth fell open. "You're going on a trip?"

"Yes," he responded simply, walking towards the door. "Now if you'll excuse me, it's been a shitty night and all I want to do is sleep. Goodbye." With that, he brushed past his sister and disappeared into the hall.

Whipping her head back around, Isabelle quickly closed the door and practically bum-rushed her. "Oh my, God. What's happening?"

"It's a long story," Clary murmured.

Grinning, Isabelle moved to sit on the bed, patting the spot next to her. "Well, don't leave me hanging." She seemed to compose herself for a moment. "Sorry to pry, but this is way out of character for Jace. I mean, he's never even brought a girl home, let alone allow her to sleep over."

Sighing, Clary climbed onto the bed and crossed her legs in front of her. When the other girl continued to stare at her with an expectant look, she decided to spill. Starting with the vacation that was supposed to be, she went into getting locked in the bathroom and her bus leaving without her. Then she explained how she and Jace broke out after hours of waiting, choosing to leave out her embarrassing breakdown. When she got to Jace's offer, Isabelle was practically beaming.

"So, not only did my brother offer to take you on this little adventure, he also said he'd pay for everything?" she asked.

Clary looked down at her hands and nodded. "He said he was planning on leaving anyway, and I would just be his 'tour guide.'"

Isabelle furrowed her brows. "He said he was leaving? Did he say why?"

"Something about planting new roots," she told her.

"God, that is so typical of him," Isabelle huffed. "I swear, ever since he came to live with us, he's tried his hardest to push us away. But he's our family, a Lightwood, even if he thinks he's better off alone."

"So, has he always been like . . ." Clary paused, searching for the right word to describe him.

"Like _that_?" the other girl filled in. "A reckless, sarcastic asshole? Yes, he has. Which is why I'm shocked by what he did tonight. You must have had quite the effect on him."

Clary snorted. "There's no way. If anything, he just feels sorry for me."

"But that's the thing, Jace doesn't feel sorry for people. He's too focused on himself to do that." Isabelle tilted her head, not subtle at all in the way she was assessing her. "Trust me, the fact that you're here right now speaks volumes. I don't know what any of it means, but I'm curious to find out."

"I think you have the wrong idea," she said.

Isabelle just smiled. "I don't think I do. I think you've got something special, Clary. Something that gets to him on a deeper level, even if neither of you know what that is yet."

Clary couldn't help but laugh. "That's a little deep for two people who just met, don't you think?"

She shrugged. "Probably, but I stand by what I said." Rising from the bed, she smoothed her pajamas into place and turned to face her. "I should get back to bed, but it was nice meeting you, Clary. Though, I have a good feeling I'll be seeing more of you."

She had no idea what to say to that other than, "It was nice meeting you too, Isabelle."

Isabelle waved a hand. "Please, call me Izzy." Pausing, she glanced at her bag before meeting her gaze again. "Would you mind if I left my number with you?"

Trying to contain her surprise, Clary reached into her back pocket for her cell, suddenly remembering that she also had to call Simon. When she handed it over, Isabelle's fingers immediately began moving across the screen.

"I sent myself a text, so I'll have yours too," she said, handing it back. "Knowing Jace, he'll find many ways to drive you insane, so it might be good to talk to someone who gets it. I love my brother, but boy is he frustrating."

Clary smiled. "Yeah, I got a glimpse of that tonight. Hence the whole 'princess' thing."

Isabelle giggled. "It would probably be in your best interest to ignore him while you're on the road. As hard as it may be, I think it will be the only way you'll enjoy yourself." She headed for the door, but before she left, she turned back to say, "Good luck!"

Realizing that she was alone for the first time that night, Clary fell back onto the bed and let out a long sigh. A large part of her wished that it had all been a dream. That any moment, she'd wake up still on her bus, having a funny, yet relieving story to tell Simon.

But it wasn't a dream. This was her reality, and there was nothing she could do about it. With Simon still on her mind, Clary reached for her phone and quickly dialed his number. Like the good friend he was, he answered on the first ring.

"Clare? You okay?"

Clary couldn't help but smile at the concerned tone in his voice. "I'm okay, Si. But it's been quite a night."

"Are you home?" he asked.

"Not exactly." She bit her lip. "There's actually something I need to tell you. I kind of left a couple things out when you called."

There was a pause. "Um, okay. What is it?"

"When I was locked in that bathroom, I wasn't exactly alone." Gathering her courage, she added, "I was with Jace Lightwood."

"Jace _Lightwood_?" Simon's voice went up an octave. "That crazy guy with the tattoos? The one who got kicked out of our school for beating up that guy?"

Clary winced. "Yes."

"Christ, Clare. That guy is bad news," he said. "Tell me you got the hell away from him after you got out of there."

"That's the thing I wanted to tell you, Si. He heard about what happened, and he offered to take me on the trip himself." She could already hear Simon starting to object, so she forged on. "Look, I know it sounds crazy, but I think it may be my last chance to see all the things I wanted to."

"Clary—"

"You're not changing my mind on this, Si." Closing her eyes, she lowered her voice. "There's a lot you don't understand, things I wish I had the courage to tell you right now, but trust me. This is my only option."

Simon released a sigh. "I know and I believe you. I just don't like that guy."

"I don't know, other than being a little vulgar and anti-social, he's not exactly horrible to be around," she said. "I think I'll be okay."

"You always were the optimist," he told her, and she could almost picture him playfully rolling his eyes. "Just promise me that you'll stay safe, and will stay in touch."

Clary smiled. "I promise. As long as you do the same."

"You've got yourself a deal, Clare."

After saying their goodbyes, Clary dropped her phone onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. While she laid there, she couldn't help thinking about what she'd gotten herself into. Simon was right to be worried. They'd both heard the stories about the infamous member of the Lightwood family.

But Clary had a tendency to search for the good in everyone. Call her naive, but after tonight, she knew that Jace had some good in him. It was buried behind a thick layer of dark humor and bitterness, but it was definitely there. The fact that he didn't cast her aside proved that. Maybe there was more to Jace Lightwood than he let on, and Clary was all too eager to find out.

Though, she had a feeling that it would be anything but easy.

.o.O.o.

Late that morning, Jace was surprised to find himself waking to the sound of laughter. Flipping over onto his back, he squinted at the clock on his nightstand, seeing that it was a quarter past eleven. On any normal day, he would have already been on his morning run and had a smoke. But this was no normal day.

For starters, he was only working on a few hours of sleep. Second, he was now responsible for driving an intriguing redhead across the United States. Jace still didn't understand how he'd gotten himself so involved, but there was no turning back. The way she'd looked at him after accepting his offer—those big green eyes practically sparkling with delight—he knew it would be impossible to go back on his word. He wasn't a good person, but turning his back on a girl as terrified as Clary had been, would have reserved him a special place in hell.

Wiping his hands over his face, he threw back the sheets and rose from his bed, feeling the warmth of sunlight hit his back as he stretched. He was moving on autopilot as he brushed his teeth and got dressed, glad he decided to take his own advice by showering before bed.

As Jace made his way down the hall, he noticed that Alec's door was wide open. The room was empty, the bed neatly made. Voices were coming from downstairs, so he followed the sound until he reached the large, eat-in kitchen.

There, he saw his father wiping down the stove and counters, his mother reading a comic book for his little brother Max. Food was spread out on the island, portions already taken from each platter. Without even knowing he was doing it, his eyes immediately sought out Clary.

A moment after the thought crossed his mind, the sliding door across the room opened, the redhead and his sister laughing as they entered the house. She didn't seem to notice him yet, which gave him an opportunity to take her in now that she seemed more relaxed and comfortable.

She was dressed in a simple gray t-shirt and jeans, her hair a little curlier than it had been last night, as if it were in its natural state. From what he could see, not a drop of makeup was on her pale face, allowing him to see the smattering of freckles on the bridge of her nose.

As if she could feel his stare, her emerald eyes suddenly met his. That familiar uptake in his heart beat returned, catching him off guard. There was something about those eyes that made it seem like she could see right through him, and Jace was struggling between wanting to run as far away from her as possible and learning more. The latter was extremely dangerous, so he had to abide by his rules, no matter how curious he got.

Giving him a smile, Clary lifted her hand in a small wave. "Hi, Jace."

Snapping himself out of it, Jace squared his shoulders and strolled the rest of the way into the kitchen. "Morning, everyone," he murmured.

Maryse looked up from the comic book she was reading Max. "Hey, look who's up. I put on a pot of coffee when I heard you moving around up there."

He raised a brow. "You could hear that?"

His mother waved a hand. "Oh, honey, I'm a mother. I can hear everything." She placed a hand next to her mouth, lowering her voice. "Everything."

Shaking his head in amusement, Jace went over to pour himself a cup of steaming hot coffee. "Thanks, Ma." His eyes went back to Clary as he drank the dark liquid just as it was.

"You have such a wonderful garden, Mrs. Lightwood," she said. "And those peonies are just beautiful. They're actually my favorite."

"Why, thank you, Clary." His mother sent her a big smile. "I'm glad someone appreciates the hard work I do out there."

Isabelle huffed. "I tried it that one time."

"Yeah, and everything died," Robert, his father, chimed in.

"Well, it's not my fault I don't have a green thumb."

"Just don't become a suburban housewife, Izzy, because you can neither cook nor garden," Jace said over the rim of his coffee cup.

Isabelle narrowed her eyes on him, but then her eyes drifted over to Clary, a mischievous grin curving her lips. "So, Jace," she began loudly, clearly ignoring the silent warning he was sending her. "What's going on with you and Clary, again?"

Maryse looked surprised, her gaze falling on the redhead. "I'm sorry, I thought you were here with Isabelle."

Clary was clearly uncomfortable, her eyes darting all over the place. Meanwhile, everyone there seemed to be waiting for an explanation. "I—"

"She's with me," Jace interjected, placing his mug on the counter beside him. "A trip she had planned fell through, so I'm taking her. It's coast to coast, so I'll be gone for a while."

"Wow, Jace. That's actually very kind of you." His mother smiled, looking between them. "When did you two meet?"

"Last night," they both said in unison.

"That's a lot to do for a person you met not even twenty-four hours ago, don't you think?" That came from his father. "Does your family even know?"

When Clary's eyes got that look in them—the same one from last night—Jace knew he had to get them out of his parents' interrogation as quick as possible.

"Actually, we would love to give you all the details, but if we're going to make it to our first stop before it gets dark, we're going to have to head out now." Downing the rest of his coffee, he motioned for Clary to follow him as he left the room, leaving his family to answer their own questions.

Once they made it to the entryway, Jace stopped and turned to her. After what happened in there, he needed to know that she wasn't going to go into another panic. Clearly there was a lot he didn't know, but to keep things impersonal, he had to ignore his urge to find out.

"You alright?" he asked instead.

Clary looked up at him and nodded. "Yeah, of course." Her voice was a little strained. "Thanks for the save back there."

Jace tucked his hand into the front pockets of his jeans. "Like most parents, mine love to pry. It's easier to just ignore them."

She bit her lip. "Though, you have to admit that they have a point. We're practically strangers, yet we're about to travel the country together."

"Then why'd you say yes?"

Her gaze dropped to her shoes. "Because I need this, and at this point I'm out of options."

Jace sighed. "Look, what we're doing isn't conventional, but the more you dwell on that, the less time you'll spend enjoying yourself." He waited until she met his gaze again to continue. "So are you with me or not, Clary?"

Her lips parted in shock. "You just called me Clary."

_Damn it_. "Don't get used to it," he mumbled.

But Clary just continued on as if he hadn't said anything. "You're right. I need to stop thinking about how I got here and just be glad that I did." The smile returned to her face. "Call me crazy, Jace Lightwood, but I think I'm ready to jump in with both feet."

"Great," Jace looked around to make sure they were still alone. "Let's go."

"Wait." She held up a hand when he began to move. "Can you promise me something first?"

He crossed his arms. "Not likely, but shoot."

"Can you at least try to have a little fun on this trip? It would help a lot if I knew you were open to having a good time."

"What makes you think I won't?"

She swallowed nervously. "Well, you just seem a little . . . intense, I guess? Like you're not used to letting loose."

Not able to help himself, Jace stepped closer to her, forcing her to tip her head back even more. There was little space between them—enough for him to get a whiff of strawberry from her hair.

"You're saying you want me to let loose?" he said lowly.

Clary's breath caught as she stared back at him, her eyes turning a deeper shade of green. He was playing with fire, and he knew if he didn't stop now, this would all end before it even began.

Before she could say anything in response, he forced himself to take a step back, a blank look overtaking his face. "I'm going to get my stuff." Glancing to his right, he spotted her bag by the door. "Wait for me outside?"

"Um . . ." she was still staring at him, like she didn't know what to do about his abrupt change in subject.

Using the fact that she was thrown off kilter, he slipped past her and took the stairs two at a time. He'd consider what just happened as a temporary lapse in judgment.

But it couldn't happen again.

.o.O.o.

Clary still felt the hum in her body as she shakily picked up her bag. She had no idea what to make of Jace's hot and cold routine. One minute he was being kind and somewhat playful, and the next he turned cold and distant. It was giving her whiplash.

But she couldn't deny that her body reacted when he was close. There was something about him that commanded her attention. Whether it be his unique tawny eyes, his strong, muscular build, or the scars and tattoos covering his body, Jace was impossible to ignore. The raw sex appeal he exuded was almost mind-numbing. Though something told her he didn't need another admirer.

Desperately needing air, Clary stepped outside and closed the front door behind her. As she leaned against it, she closed her eyes and focused on the warm sun beating down on her and the chirping of the birds above. That morning was more peaceful than any other she'd experienced in a while. The inspiration to dance was already flowing through her, and if it kept up, she'd have an amazing routine by the end of summer.

Happy to be on the move, she essentially skipped to Jace's classic car, noticing that it had not one scratch or streak on the shiny black paint. It was clear he took very good care of it.

The front door opened a few moments later, and out walked Jace, somehow looking better than he did a minute ago. He was still wearing a simple white t-shirt and dark jeans, but a leather jacket now hugged his torso. A similar duffel bag was slung over his shoulder, his eyes covered by a pair of black sunglasses.

Once Jace reached the car, he popped the trunk and tossed his bag in with no care at all. Then he held his hand out for hers, and when she handed it over, he surprised her when he carefully placed it on top before closing it all up.

Taking off his sunglasses, Jace looked down at her with a smirk. "You ready, princess?"

Clary still felt that hum, but chose to ignore it as she nodded. "Are you?"

He grinned. "As ready as a porn star on their first day." With a wink, he slipped his sunglasses back on and moved past her to get into the car.

Her nose crinkled in disgust. God, he was crude.

Once Clary got into the passenger seat, she immediately put on her seatbelt out of concern for her life. She'd rather not die before anything even began.

"So, where to?" Jace asked, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel.

Looking down at the mini pink backpack Isabelle gave her to put her more important belongings in, she unzipped it and pulled out a piece of paper. When she first found out about the journey she'd be making across the country, she printed multiple copies of the route they'd be taking.

It only made sense to start from there. So, Clary handed it over. When Jace grasped the paper in both hands, he looked over at her with a raised brow.

"What am I looking at?" he asked.

Clary looked down at it also. "That's the route the school planned. I just thought it would be smart to start there."

His eyes roamed the paper for what seemed like an eternity before he looked at her again. "Is this where you want to go?"

"Well, yeah. That's the trip," she said, shrugging.

"That's not what I asked, princess." Taking his sunglasses off again, Jace narrowed his golden eyes on her, holding her hostage with his intense gaze. "Where do _you_ want to go?"

Clary opened her mouth to tell him she wanted exactly what the school had planned for her and the others, but nothing came out. She'd never actually stopped to think about what _she_ wanted, so being given that opportunity gave her pause. She had to admit that there were a few stops on that list that didn't excite her in the least and also some stops she'd wished were included.

So, maybe it wasn't her dream trip, but now Clary realized she could turn it into one. There was nothing stopping her, which made things a lot more exciting. With that on her mind, a giddy smile suddenly overtook her face.

Jace must have noticed because he gave a low chuckle. "So, what'll it be?"

Clary tucked her hair behind her ear before answering. "I still want to go to D.C., but first I . . . I want to see the beach—Ocean City to be exact. I want to stick my toes in the sand and float in the ocean. Maybe even build a sandcastle. And while we're passing through Pennsylvania, I wanted to try an authentic Philly cheesesteak. I hear there's nothing like it." When she was done, she sucked in air, realizing she'd said all of that in one breath.

Chancing a glance over at Jace, she saw that he was grinning at her, his eyes full of amusement. It was the longest he'd gone without growling words at her, or looking like he was annoyed by her presence. It was nice, actually.

"Cheesesteak and the beach, huh?" Sticking the key into the ignition, he started up the powerful car and dropped his sunglasses back over his eyes. "I can work with that."

When he shifted gears and slammed on the gas, Clary had a moment of déjà vu as she squealed in surprise, her hands immediately gripping her seat. His driving would take some getting used to, but she was willing to take on that challenge.

As they sped out of the expensive neighborhood, Clary let herself admire the glamorous homes. If possible, they became even more beautiful overnight. Though it excited her to know that there was even more beauty to come.

"One more thing," Jace said suddenly. Just as they reached the end of the block, Jace stopped and removed the list from his lap. When he balled it up in his hand and tossed it out the window, Clary's eyes widened in shock.

"Oh, fudge," she blurted.

Without hesitating, Jace continued down the road, his gaze fixed forward. "Okay, new rule—"

"Great, another one," Clary muttered to herself.

"—Let's agree to let the road take us where it takes us. No lists, no deadlines. Just . . ." He extended his arm out of the window, gesturing around them. "Freedom." Then he turned to her with a smirk. "What do you say? You with me?"

Releasing the fierce grip she had on the seat, Clary forced herself to actually be in the moment. As she sat there, with the wind blowing through her hair and the warmth of the sun on her skin, a sense of thrill enveloped her. Jace was right. What they were doing wasn't conventional, but maybe it was exactly what she needed. What they both needed.

Unable to contain it, Clary relaxed in her seat and let out a laugh, her decision made.

"I'm with you."

* * *

**What did you think?**

**Love it? Hate it?**

**Let me know!**

**A/N: Looks like Clace's detour is about to begin. I cannot wait for you guys to see how this little journey changes both of them for the better. Now that Shadowhunters is over, I'm sure a lot of you are flocking to fanfiction for your dose of Clace and more, and I hope that this story will somewhat fill that gap. Anyway, enough about that, here's the chapter fact,**

**Fun fact: Women have twice as many pain receptors on their body than men. But a much higher pain tolerance. (So ladies, never let a man tell you you're weak)**


	5. The Beach

**Hello my lovelies, hope you're having a wonderful day, if not the best day of your life. If you're in the US, I hope you had a lovely Memorial Day and some really good food. And if you're a senior and graduating soon, or have already, I'm so happy for you! Enjoy your freedom and have an amazing summer. Kisses!**

**Very special thanks to my beta**

**Disclaimer: All TMI characters belong to Cassandra Clare :)**

* * *

_Chapter Songs:_

_**Heavy by LINKIN PARK ft. Kiiara (Scene 1)_

_**Keeping Your Head Up by Birdy (Scene 2)_

_**Island In the Sun by Weezer (Scene 3)_

* * *

"Oh, my God," Clary moaned.

Jace looked up from his own cheesesteak to watch as she swallowed her first bite. He had to admit that the sound caught him by surprise. When a woman was moaning in his presence, more often than not, it had nothing to do with food. He actually couldn't remember the last time he'd sat down and had a meal with a woman. Usually they chose to ignore the pleasantries and simply skipped right to the end.

Though, there was something about watching Clary devour that sandwich like no one was watching that pleased him. She didn't give a shit about how she looked in that moment, and if he were being honest, it wasn't something he expected from her. Even though they'd been on the road for a couple hours, he wouldn't have been surprised if she'd eaten that cheesesteak with a knife and fork.

Considering he hadn't eaten anything but a protein bar he'd found in his car, Jace should have been devouring his own meal, but he couldn't seem to take his eyes off her. That appeared to be par for the course ever since he'd met her, and he could try all he wanted to chalk it up to curiosity, but deep down he knew it was something more.

"Jace?"

In order to hide the fact that he'd definitely zoned out, Jace took a big bite of his sandwich and raised a brow. "Hmm?"

"You were staring at me again. I was starting to think I had something on my face," she said.

His eyes immediately went to the corner of her mouth as he swallowed, where he noticed a small smudge of mayonnaise. "Actually, you do."

Clary's eyes widened. "Oh, God. How embarrassing. Where is it?" She put her sandwich down as she began fumbling for a napkin. There was one between them that she reached for, but he was faster, his hand grasping it and holding it up.

"I've got it. Hold still." When Jace neared her face with the napkin, Clary froze—whether from his command or from shock, he didn't know. This was going against everything he'd told himself not to do, but he managed to shove that voice in the back of his head deep down as his eyes met hers. There was something about those emeralds that got to him. Getting lost in them was way too easy.

With the napkin in his hand, Jace gently dabbed the corner of her mouth, quickly cleaning her face. He should have stopped there, but seemingly with a mind of its own, his thumb rose to that same spot. She stayed frozen as he brushed his finger along her smooth skin, the action seeming way more intimate than he'd meant it to. It also didn't help that their gazes were still locked together.

Clary gasped softly as their skin made contact, a pink hue coming to her cheeks. Her attraction to him was obvious, but there was something different about it. It was almost as if she were embarrassed by that attraction, as if she didn't have the right to feel it. Maybe it was that she didn't _want_ to feel it.

"I think you've got it," Clary whispered after a moment.

Jace slowly dropped his hand from her face, brows furrowing. "Your skin is soft," he said, his tone implying he was annoyed by that fact.

Her cheeks got even redder. "Um . . . thank you?"

Not able to believe he'd just said that, Jace scoffed to himself and broke eye contact as he picked up his cheesesteak again. With another big bite, he essentially ended the conversation there. Tension hung thick in the air between them as the buzz of the restaurant continued, but it was if they were in their own little world.

As someone who was always aware of his surroundings, it surprised him to know that she could manage to pull him away from it all. The same thing happened the night before when she recognized the poet he'd quoted. Jace quoted his favorites often, but never had someone picked up on it that quickly. Part of him wanted to test her again to make sure it wasn't just a fluke.

"I had a chance to talk to my friend again last night," Clary said suddenly.

"Oh, yeah?" He raised a brow. "What does Prince Charming think of our little adventure?"

"His name is Simon, and I'm not sure I should say."

"Let me guess, he thinks you're crazy for coming anywhere near me."

Clary took a tentative bite of her cheesesteak, as if to give her more time. "He's just a little worried, you know? He's heard things, but I assured him that everything would be okay. That I don't think you're as horrible as people make you out to be."

Jace scoffed. "That's funny, because I'm pretty sure I told you myself that I wasn't a good person."

She shrugged. "Well, maybe I think you're wrong too."

He had no idea how she could think that. Yes, he did her a huge favor, but clearly that didn't stop him from being an asshole to her. It was almost as if he was using those snide comments as a defense against the feelings she stirred up in him.

Finishing the last of his meal, Jace sat back in the booth and crossed his arms. "What makes you think I'm wrong?"

Clary wasn't far behind as she dusted off that cheesesteak like it was nothing. Then she lifted her glass of soda and wrapped her lips around the straw, taking a few sips before answering him. "Because we're here right now. You cared enough to ask what I wanted, instead of letting a piece of paper dictate where we went. You might not want to admit it, but it's clear to me that you have compassion."

Jace leaned forward until his elbows rested on the table. "Look, whatever I've done over the last twenty-four hours doesn't change my past, princess. You say that you've heard the rumors, so I'm sure you know that I've hurt people. Some that deserved it and some that probably didn't, but I did it anyway. Without hesitation." He shouldn't have been telling her any of this, but he needed her to stop trying to paint him in a good light. She needed to know that he wasn't worth it.

So, he continued. "I didn't tell you last night that when you described me, you hit the nail on the head. I look for trouble, and I do it because I'm angry and I need something to distract me from it. So, no, I'm not compassionate. I'm a heartless son of a bitch, who doesn't deserve an iota of your kindness."

Clary's eyes dropped to her lap as she let out a breath. "Are you saying that you're capable of hurting me?"

Jace felt a stab in his chest at her whispered question. "No," he rasped. "Fuck no. I'll admit that I have a temper, but only a sick bastard would ever lay his hands on a woman."

Something flashed in her eyes, but it was gone in a second, making him wonder if he'd even seen it at all.

Clearing her throat, Clary glanced around the restaurant before meeting his gaze. "Then what was the purpose of telling me that? To scare me?"

"To get your head out of the clouds," he told her. "I'm not the person you want to believe I am."

"Okay," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "If that's what you want me to think, then we'll go with that. And if the kindness you've shown me so far was an act, don't worry. You can go back to doing what makes you comfortable." She took another sip of her drink before standing. "Um, I'm going to head to the bathroom before we hit the road again."

Before Jace could answer, she whipped around and then she was lost in the crowd of people. It was clear that his little spiel had upset her. A couple hours into their trip, and he was already screwing it up. He felt like an ass, which sort of proved her point. A heartless person wouldn't have cared if she was hurt by his words. To be fair, in his past he never was, but he should have known that this would be different.

She wasn't just anyone. Since meeting her, nothing about his past seemed to apply. Jace found himself behaving differently when they were together, and maybe part of him didn't like that, which caused him to act out. Like the little boy on the playground that pulled the little girl's hair because he had a crush on her. It was immature, but he didn't know how else to handle it. Though, this was the first time he realized that maybe he was taking it a little too far.

When the waiter came back with the bill, Jace paid and gave him a generous tip after remembering how much Clary enjoyed herself. Hoping that he hadn't ruined her day completely, he quickly slid out of the booth and started heading towards the back of the restaurant in search of her.

When he spotted her coming out of the restroom, he slowed his stride. Her hair was now up in a ponytail, which he immediately wanted to undo. Those wild curls deserved to be set free.

Clary came to a stop when she saw him near, allowing him to close the distance. Her gaze diverted to the floor as soon as he got close enough though, causing another pang in his chest. "Ready to go?" she asked quietly.

With a sigh, Jace lifted his hand, his finger catching the bottom of her chin as he tilted her head back. For some reason, he needed this contact for what he was about to say next. "I didn't mean to upset you. I should be glad someone can see something like compassion in me, but sometimes I would rather people see me as a monster than someone who has the potential to be good."

Her big green eyes seemed to soften at his confession. "Why?" she whispered.

"Because, if I'm the person everyone expects me to be, there's no room for disappointment." He shrugged, dropping his hand. "It's a shit way to live, but it's all I know."

"Why are you telling me this? Isn't that against your rules?"

"It was something you deserved to know after what I did back there." Jace shoved a hand into his hair. "I guess this is my way of apologizing."

A hint of a smile tugged at her lips. "Well, if it is, then I accept."

Not able to help it, he went on. "I also got to thinking about what you asked this morning. And if it means that much to you, then I'll consider having some fun while we're out there."

Clary's face immediately lit up as a huge smile overtook her face, eyes glowing with delight. It was crazy how something so simple could make her so happy. The sight almost made him crack a grin. _Almost_.

"I would give you a hug, but that's against rule number one," she giggled, her smile turning playful.

With a roll of his eyes, Jace tucked his hands into his jean pockets. "Don't push it, princess," he said lowly. "So, are we good or not?"

"We are," she answered, seeming pleased by his grumpiness.

"Good, let's go." With that, he turned around and led them back through the restaurant. And even though no one there knew who he was, they gave him a wide berth, as if they somehow knew he wasn't to be fucked with. Part of him hoped that Clary noticed, while the other prayed that she was unaware of the way he affected total strangers.

Once they made it outside, Jace turned to face her. She was still smiling, looking back at the restaurant with a wistful expression. "Was it everything you hoped it'd be?"

"Even better," she said. "It makes me excited for what's to come."

With a chuckle, he strolled the rest of the way to his car, quickly unlocking it for the both of them. "Then, I'd suggest you get in. Ocean City is a couple more hours away, so we better get going while there's still daylight."

"Yes, of course." She visibly shook herself out of her trance, getting into his car and buckling in faster than he could blink. It was clear she was very eager to get to their next stop.

The powerful car hummed under them as Jace turned the key. Though, he hesitated before he could shift gears, his eyes returning to the redhead. There was one last thing he needed to clear up, and he needed to do it before they got back on the road.

Clary seemed to notice his pause. "Everything okay?"

Keeping his gaze on her, Jace felt himself exhale the breath he'd been holding as he shook his head. "There's just something I need you to understand. Nothing I've done or the way I've behaved so far has been an act. I will admit that it's out of character for me to be so . . . generous, but not a moment of this has been fake."

She looked down at her lap, smiling to herself. "Thank you for telling me that." Her eyes met his again. "All things considered, I'm really glad we're doing this together."

As Jace watched the blush creep up into her cheeks, he couldn't help but feel a little satisfied. Once he finally shifted gears and slammed on the gas, Clary's little squeak of surprise made him grin. The redhead was a breath of fresh air. So unlike anyone he'd ever met. He wasn't sure how the rest of their trip would go, but as they put their first stop in the rear view mirror, he felt an unexpected wave of optimism.

Maybe it would be okay after all.

Or maybe it was inevitable that it'd end in disaster.

.o.O.o.

Clary was in love. No ifs, ands, or buts.

She and Jace hadn't been in Ocean City for long, but after seeing the ocean for the first time from the passenger seat of his car, she was completely done for. And she hadn't even set foot on the beach yet.

The atmosphere was completely different from home. In New York, everyone was on their own mission, heads down as they walked with purpose. Here, everything seemed to slow down as people actually took in and appreciated their surroundings. Everyone appeared genuinely happy to be there, and Clary couldn't wait to join them.

Though, not unlike New York, traffic was pretty heavy, which meant it would be close to impossible to find a parking spot on their own. That meant they'd have to find a place to stay before they did anything else.

"If you want, you could look up a nice hotel that's by the beach," Jace told her.

Clary shook her head. "No, that's way too expensive. I'm perfectly fine with staying at a motel."

When he abruptly pulled onto the side of the road and slammed on the break, her head whipped in his direction to see what was wrong. There was a deep furrow in his brow, as if what she suggested really upset him.

"I'm not putting you in a fucking motel, Clary."

He said it with such conviction that she felt her heart skip a beat. Also, it was the second time he'd actually used her name.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Clary tucked her hair behind her ear. "It's not that big of a deal, you know. In my world, a motel would be considered an upgrade," she joked, but there was no way to hide the touch of bitterness behind that statement.

Jace's eyes bored into hers, as if he'd easily read between the lines. But then his gaze suddenly softened as he faced forward, jaw clenching. "You deserve better."

Her lips parted on a gasp at his words. After years of being subjected to both physical and emotional abuse by her father, having someone tell her that she deserved better was pretty jarring. He had no idea, but hearing those words meant a lot to her, even if it was in a completely different context.

"Sometimes we don't get what we deserve," she whispered. When he sent her a curious look, Clary immediately snapped herself out her woes, choosing to focus on their little dilemma instead. "Look, you're already doing way too much for me. The least I can do is save you a little money."

Jace simply shook his head. "There's a reason why I offered to pay for everything. It's because I knew I could afford it. In fact, I could make this trip three times over and still have enough left over to buy a house. So, it's sweet of you to worry, but it's not necessary."

Seeing that she wasn't going to win this one, Clary sighed. "Okay, what if we compromised?"

He raised a brow. "I'm listening."

"I'll stay in a hotel as long as it's nothing fancy. If it has too many stars, I'll get uncomfortable." She bit her lip. "Do we have a deal?"

Jace's eyes roamed her face before he answered. "Yeah, we have a deal, princess. Just know you'll sleep in a shitty motel over my dead body."

Clary rolled her eyes. "And here I thought you'd actually learned my name."

He grinned. "Keep dreaming."

Then they were back on the road, and minutes later Jace was parking in front of a well known hotel chain that she'd seen plenty of commercials for. Though it wasn't until he saw her smile and nod, did he put the car in park.

Popping the trunk, Jace immediately threw his bag over his shoulder before gripping hers in his other hand. It was a sweet gesture. With the vulgar things that came out of his mouth, it was hard to believe that he was capable of being a gentleman. But there he was, lugging her belongings and also managing to open the door for her. The man was an enigma, but Clary couldn't help but appreciate the random acts of chivalry.

There was a small line for checking in, and while they waited, she took in all the people around them that were beach ready. Umbrellas, pool noodles, towels, and buckets for sand castles were common among the families heading in and out of the hotel. Seeing all of those things made her realize how unprepared she was to be there. She had maybe two bathing suits in her bag, but things like flip flops or sunglasses hadn't seemed like a priority while she was running away from her abusive father.

Her face must have fallen at the realization, because Jace suddenly turned to face her. "Something wrong?"

"I just—" Clary glanced around before meeting his gaze. "I realized that when I was packing for my trip, I didn't plan for any of this. I have a bathing suit but that's pretty much it."

Jace simply shrugged. "Then we'll get you what you need."

"I didn't tell you that so you could just pull out your wallet," she said.

He smirked. "I know you didn't. Though, things would go a lot smoother if you just let me help."

Clary didn't tell him that she wasn't used to help or handouts, that she had to fight for everything ever since her mother died. Her life being at the top of that list. Instead, she said, "I guess I'm not used to people caring—sorry care is a strong word—"

"I do care," he said, cutting her off. "We wouldn't be doing this if I didn't. With anyone else, I would have easily went on my merry way after the convenience store incident."

Clary moved closer and tipped her head back to accommodate his size. "What makes me different?" she whispered.

His eyes roamed her face for a moment before a teasing smile tugged at his lips. "I'd say, but that would be breaking rule number five."

With that, he turned back around and stepped up to the counter when the family in front of them finished checking in, leaving Clary to wonder what his statement meant.

It didn't take long for him to get them a room, but as Jace was talking to the desk clerk, she couldn't help but notice that the woman was totally checking him out. Her eyes were bouncing all over his muscular frame, but they mostly stayed on his face, no doubt captivated by those golden eyes of his. She couldn't blame the woman at all, but the drop in Clary's stomach at the sight was unexpected. She blamed it on her eagerness to get on the beach and being annoyed with how long it was taking.

After getting the key, which probably had the desk clerk's number written on it, Jace left their bags with her while he jogged outside to put a parking pass on his car. From the corner of her eye, she could see the woman sizing her up, smirking and flipping her hair after a moment, clearly deciding for herself that she was no competition. The gesture stung, but all she could do was keep her head high and act unfazed by the insult.

Clary knew she didn't live up to modern beauty standards. Not in the eyes of the blonde bombshell behind the counter, and definitely not in the eyes of the infamous Jace Lightwood. That should have upset her, but she had long ago come to terms with it.

"Ready?"

Trying to play off the fact that she'd been off in her own head, Clary gave a small smile and nodded, following Jace onto the elevator.

"Have you ever been to the beach?" she asked after he hit the button for their floor.

"Yes," he answered. "Not my favorite place on earth but I can see the appeal."

If this place didn't do it for him, Clary wondered what would. If he could choose to go anywhere in the world, where would he go? Though, that would require getting to know him on a personal level, which was apparently against the rules.

Once they made it to their room—which wasn't anything special—Clary beamed as if it was the presidential suite in the best hotel around. They didn't have a view of the beach, the sheets were plain white and the television was small with a big back. It was the greatest thing she'd ever seen.

"It's not a shithole, but it's not much of a step above either," Jace muttered.

"It's perfect." Walking over to him, Clary grabbed her bag, ignoring the tingle that went up her arm when their hands brushed together. "I'm gonna go change into my bathing suit, but after that it's all yours."

"No need. I'll be wearing this," he said, matter of factly.

Pausing, Clary turned to assess his attire. He was still wearing a leather jacket, t-shirt, and jeans. Definitely not something people normally wore to the hot, sandy beach. "Are you sure?"

Jace smirked. "Trust me, if I were to go out there in a pair of board shorts, you wouldn't be able to pull the women off me."

She immediately rolled her eyes. "Cocky much?"

He raised a brow, golden eyes intense. "Do I have a reason not to be?"

A blush crept up into Clary's cheeks as she stared back at him. Refusing to dignify that with a response, she slipped into the bathroom, letting the door close softly behind her. Only then did she allow herself to release the breath she'd been holding. There was no way she was going to admit that she might have been one of those women if he decided to forgo his clothes. He was already way too attractive for his own good, so maybe his decision was best.

After stripping down, Clary tried her best not to look in the mirror, not wanting her good mood to be ruined by the sight of her bruises and scars. After lathering her body with a healthy amount of sunscreen, she put on her one piece navy blue bathing suit in record time, throwing a black cover-up over it. Then she slipped her chucks back on, feeling a little silly at the idea of using them on the sand.

When she re-entered the room, Jace was nowhere to be found. She had no idea where he went, but she knew for a fact that he wouldn't leave her for long. Taking the time to appreciate her surroundings, Clary grinned and took the bed closest to the patio. The view was just of the parking lot below, but it was a parking lot in Ocean City, Maryland. The fact that she was there in that moment was surreal.

She was going through her bag and checking to make sure everything important was still there—especially the money she had buried under clothes, stashed in a knee high sock—when the door suddenly opened. Clary whirled around at the sound, a huge smile coming to her face when she saw the image in front of her.

There was Jace, arms and hands loaded up with a beach goers dream. Towels, sand castle buckets, flip flops, sunglasses, a floppy hat, and even an umbrella.

Her jaw dropped to the floor. "Did you get all of this for me?"

He shrugged. "I figured I would get the basics."

"I think that's more than the basics, Jace. I would have been fine with a pair of flip flops and a towel to sit on, but this . . ." she had no words.

"I knew you wouldn't have let me get half of this stuff without throwing a fit, so I just beat you to the punch." Dropping all of the stuff onto his bed, he ran a hand through his hair. "Are you gonna thank me, or am I still gonna get that fit?"

Clary couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her. "You're absolutely crazy, but thank you," she said, running over to take a closer look. "Hey, how did you know my shoe size?"

Jace's gaze dropped to the bed also. "I guessed. Your feet seem about half the size of mine, so that seemed like a good place to start."

After kicking off her chucks, she quickly slipped on the proper attire, the smile never leaving her face as she stared up at him under the brim of her floppy hat. "Well, it's perfect." She shuffled in her flip flops. "I appreciate everything you do for me. I really do."

For the first time, she actually saw his gaze warm a bit. "I know you do." Then he smirked, quickly covering it up. "Now let's get you on that beach, yeah?"

Buzzing with excitement, Clary lowered the pair of sunglasses over her eyes, finally feeling ready.

"It's about time."

.o.O.o.

Jace was losing his mind.

How else would he explain buying an entire beach supply store just to make Clary happy. He didn't know what had gotten into him, but after catching the crestfallen looks she'd been sending the families around them, he knew he had to do something. So, when she darted into the bathroom to change, he took action. There was a small supply store inside of the hotel with outrageous prices, no doubt capitalizing on the people who were ill-prepared for the beach. But none of that stopped him from grabbing things until his arms were completely full.

The look of shock and awe on her face when he stepped back into their room made it worth the trouble. He'd never sought out a person's reaction before, never cared what anyone thought. But Jace was quickly becoming addicted to the sparkle Clary got in her eyes when something excited her. It didn't take much, but something about that look—and being the reason behind it—made him want to stick his chest out with pride.

When they finally set foot on the beach, Clary focused on laying their towels out while Jace stuck the umbrella deep into the sand, giving them a decent amount of shade.

Clary seemed to want to take in her surroundings first, plopping down on one of the towels as she held onto her floppy hat. Not in any rush, Jace sat down next to her, his knees bent as he looked out at the ocean in front of them. The redhead was clearly transfixed by the sight. Her big eyes were following the waves, she'd kicked off her flip flops in favor of burying her toes in the sand, and the smile on her face was completely blissful.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Glancing back at the ocean, Jace allowed himself to actually appreciate the calmness of it all. Then he grinned when he remembered a poem. "_The gentleness of heaven broods over the sea_," he murmured.

Clary must have been listening closely because she immediately took her eyes off the beach to grin a him. "First Shakespeare and now Wordsworth? My, my Jace Lightwood, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were a poet."

Without even realizing it, she'd passed another one of his tests. He had to admit that he was a little taken aback. Whenever he quoted poems around others, they simply passed it off as him rambling, but for the second time in a row she picked up on it without even having to think.

With a shrug, Jace met her curious gaze. "Maybe there's more up here than crude jokes and sarcasm," he said, tapping his temple.

Clary sent him a knowing grin. "I already knew that, but it's always nice to be reminded. You really are full of surprises."

"Right back at you, princess."

She snorted. "I wish. I'm not that interesting."

"I don't believe that." In fact, he had a feeling there was a lot more to her than meets the eye.

Suddenly, Clary rose to her feet, tossing her floppy hat onto the towel. Then she was grabbing the hem of her cover-up and slowly pulling it over her head, or maybe that was just how he saw it.

For a bathing suit that wasn't at all revealing, she sure did fill it out nicely. And that hair. Without the hat, it was blowing freely in the wind, the sun behind her turning the strands into flames. It was quite the sight, and she had no idea what kind of effect she had on the people around her. From the corner of his eye, Jace saw a handful of guys stop what they were doing to take her in, causing him to fist the sand beneath him.

_What the hell was that about?_

Oblivious, Clary tucked her hair behind her ear and looked down at him. "I'm gonna go test out the water. I'm guessing you're good here?"

"Yeah, just appreciating the view," he said, his voice deeper than it had been before.

Glancing around, her eyes landed on a few women nearby before giving him a shy smile. "I bet you're in heaven right now. Tons of eye candy around here."

There probably was, but for the life of him, Jace couldn't take his eyes off of her.

With that, Clary turned on her heel and took off towards the water. He wanted to warn her that they weren't in California and there was a reason why there were no surfers, but he figured she'd find out soon enough. Though it was hard to hold in a chuckle when she got waist deep in the water and let out a squeal.

"Mother butler!" she screamed, looking back at him. "It's freezing!"

Cupping his hands around his mouth, he called out to her, "It is the Atlantic, princess."

Her nose crinkled at the sight of his shoulders shaking. "It's not funny! I seriously can't move."

"You just weren't prepared. Stay in there for a bit and let your body get used to it," he told her.

Then she surprised him when she said, "Come in with me." Jace was already shaking his head, but she didn't seem to care. "Please? If you're worried about the ladies, you can just roll up your jeans a little. Never heard of anyone fawning over ankles."

He rolled his eyes at that. She was being such a smartass. He liked it.

"We'll see about that," he said as he shoved off his shoes and did as she said. Keeping an eye on her, he stood and removed his leather jacket, not missing the way her eyes roamed the tattoos covering his arms once they were revealed.

Bracing himself for the cold, Jace allowed the salty water to rush over his feet before going deeper. There was no way he was going waist deep like her, but he didn't have a problem with the water coming up to his calves.

"How is it?" Clary asked.

"Cold as shit." He watched as she went a little deeper. "How are you holding up?"

"It's not as bad, actually." She started to wade, bouncing with each tiny wave. "Now I kind of see the appeal."

"You know what would make it go faster?"

She furrowed her brows. "What?"

Not able to help himself, Jace lowered his arm into the water and sent a healthy wave her way, drenching her from head to toe.

"Jace!" Her mouth opened in shock as she pushed her wet hair out of her face. "I can't believe you just did that."

He held up his hands. "Hey, I was just trying to—" he was cut off went Clary returned the favor and slapped the water in his direction. Since he was still standing, most of the water hit his torso, a few droplets hitting his face.

She feigned a gasp. "Oops."

With narrowed eyes, he said, "You have no idea what you just started."

After that, it was all out war. They began splashing each other like a couple of kids, Clary's infectious giggles filling the space around them. He was quickly becoming soaked but was surprised to find that he didn't care. What mattered was that he was enjoying himself, which didn't happen very often. In that moment, there was no anger from his past or the stress that came with an upcoming fight. Actually, Jace couldn't remember the last time he let himself go like this.

"Uncle! Uncle!" Clary squealed after a few minutes. "Okay, you win."

Splashing her one last time for good measure, Jace realized they'd both made their way further into the water. It was going to be hell trying to trudge back up the beach in his soaked clothes, but the smirk never left his face. "Not so sure about that. Pretty sure I'll be tracking water all the way back to the hotel at this point."

As if just realizing he was still in jeans and a t-shirt, Clary's eyes widened. "Oh, my God. I completely forgot. Do you want to get out?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I'm good. Besides, we still have to do the second thing on your list. You've already put your toes in the sand, now it's time for you to float."

A big smile immediately crossed her face. "You're gonna float with me?"

"I don't know if I'd call it floating, but it will be something like that." He glanced down at himself. "I do have about fifty pounds of wet clothes weighing me down."

"You were the one so worried about the ladies that you wore jeans to the beach," she teased, kicking her legs up so that she lay flat on the ocean, somehow making the move look effortless.

"Okay, smartass. How about I just spot you then?"

She was already floating, swaying with the motion of the ocean, her eyes closed. "That works. Just don't let me get attacked by sharks," she told him.

Jace felt his gaze soften as he watched her. "I won't let anything happen to you, princess." He didn't realize how much he actually meant those words until he said them. It wasn't easy to admit, but the more time he spent with this girl, the more he wanted to throw caution to the wind and let himself enjoy this. But there was always that voice in the back of his head warning him of the consequences.

"Do you go to the beach often?" Clary asked, continuing their conversation from earlier.

Jace looked far out into the ocean. "I've been a few times. My parents used to have a house in the Hamptons."

"What happened to it?"

"Maryse sold it and used the money to start a non-profit," he told her. "She's really passionate about getting young girls to pursue careers in STEM."

She opened her eyes to glance over at him. "Really? That's amazing."

He nodded. "Like I said, they're good people."

Suddenly, Clary dropped back into the water and turned to face him, big green eyes boring into his. "So are you."

"That's still up for debate."

She rolled her eyes, but didn't argue. Instead, a small smile tugged at her lips. "So, what do you say we get started on that sandcastle?"

It was insane that he was doing any of this with her. On any normal day, he would have been on his third or fourth cigarette, doing something stupid with his so-called friends. Something that would definitely disappoint the people who cared about him. But right now, it felt like he was a million miles away from all that.

There, with her, he was a Jace Lightwood not a lot of people got to see. Someone he didn't mind being.

So, the answer to her question was easy. "Why the hell not."

For the next couple of hours, they focused on the final task on Clary's list. They built a sand castle worthy of the name, garnering looks from beach goers around them. It even got to the point where a couple kids ran over to ask if they could help.

While Jace was ready to tell them to piss off, Clary opened up to them immediately and showed them where they could add their own buckets of sand. She was really good with them, he noticed, and she didn't seem to care that they were hindering their efforts instead of helping. She just smiled through it all, which he realized was all that mattered.

After a while, Jace had to run up to the hotel to get changed before he froze to death, but when he returned, the kids were gone and the sand castle was even more of a spectacle than it was before. Clary was sitting on one of the towels, leaning back on her arms as she looked at their work.

She smiled when she saw him. "Hey, you're back." Her eyes took in what he was wearing, which was pretty much the same thing as before. "Looking just as ridiculous."

"Maybe, but I make ridiculous look damn good." He smirked and moved to sit down next to her.

Clary let out a laugh. "Only you could feel confident wearing a leather jacket on the beach." She shook her head, sending her curls everywhere. They were just about dried from the beach, and the thick strands seemed to have a mind of their own.

"Well, the sun will be going down soon. Is there anything else you wanted to do before then?" he asked.

"I don't know." She sighed, falling back onto her towel. "Right now, all I want to do is lay here and listen to the ocean."

Shrugging, Jace laid down next to her and stared up at the sky. "Okay, we can stay here for a while, but there's one more thing we have to do today."

He heard her turn onto her side to face him. "What's that?"

"The boardwalk, of course."

"The boardwalk?"

"Yeah, it's a couple miles long and runs along the beach. They've got little shops, a ton of games, and pretty decent food."

"I didn't know that," she said. "But it sounds like a lot of fun."

"It's supposed to be one of the best in the country, so I figured we had to go see it for ourselves."

Propping herself up on an elbow, she looked down at him with a raised brow. "How do you know all this?"

"I may have done my research." Jace cleared his throat. "I just didn't want you to miss anything."

"That was sweet of you," she said softly. "Also, you're making it really hard to follow rule number one."

_No hugs._

It was becoming hard for him to follow that rule, too. To follow all of his rules, really. But he was already walking a very fine line being near her. Something as intimate as a hug would only tempt him to cross that line. If a simple touch sent sparks up his arm, he could only imagine what pressing his body against hers would do to him.

When he didn't respond, Clary went back to laying flat on her towel with her eyes closed. She seemed to be content just laying there, doing absolutely nothing, which gave Jace an opportunity to do the same. It was starting to get later in the day, so most families had already packed up and left, probably in favor of getting dinner.

Jace knew they would have to do the same soon, but it was clear they were in no rush. He had no idea why this trip mattered so much to her, or why the idea of going home terrified her, but he was going to try his best to take her mind off of it. After a disastrous childhood that left him scarred, he knew what it was like to desperately want an escape, a distraction. He also knew firsthand what happened to a person when they let their demons consume them, and Clary had too much light left in her for something like that to dim it.

So, he'd try his best to protect that light.

And maybe, just maybe, some of that light would bleed into him.

* * *

**What did you think?**

**Love it? Hate it?**

**Let me know!**

**A/N: Sweet chapter don't you think? I am loving Clary and Jace's dynamic already, even though it took a minute to get to this point. You will notice that Jace softens up overtime, but it will not happen in an instant. It will be a rocky journey, but it will totally be worth it. Those of you who've read PJ know how amazing and satisfying a slow burn can be ;)**

**P.S. I'm experiencing a bit of writers block so please send me nice things to get me back on the horse :)**

**Anyway, here's the chapter fact,**

**Fun fact: Blue-eyed people tend to have the highest tolerance of alcohol.**


	6. The Bear

**Hello, my lovelies! I know you all have been waiting a while for this chapter, but like I said I'd been experiencing some writers block which led to procrastination. Not to mention my peak writing time is after midnight. But alas, it's here so enjoy and tell me what you think! Kisses!**

**Special thanks to my beta :)**

**Disclaimer: All TMI characters belong to Cassandra Clare :)**

* * *

_Chapter Songs:_

_**Long Shot by Transviolet (Scene 1)_

_**Touch It by Ariana Grande (Scene 2)_

_**Dancing In the Dark by Rihanna (Scene 3)_

* * *

With the sun finally ducking below the horizon, Jace and Clary packed up their beach supplies and made their way onto the boardwalk. It had been a long day, but getting to end it on such a high note made all the stress of the previous day worth it. Even though none of it was part of her plan, Clary had to admit that she was having a great time, and if she wasn't being delusional, she could have sworn Jace was too.

After slipping her cover-up back on, Clary followed him onto the wooden planks as they joined the crowd. Now that it was getting dark, everything around them seemed to come alive. Lights twinkled, music played, people laughed. It was a completely different experience.

While the beach relaxed her and gave her peace, the boardwalk excited her. There seemed to be so much to do, and she had no idea where to start. Her eyes were bouncing all over the place. From the carnival rides, the games, and food stands.

Jace must have noticed the change in her demeanor because he looked down at her with a smirk. "Any idea what you want to do first?" he asked.

Clary bit her lip. "I wouldn't mind getting some food."

"I figured." Nodding his head forward, he said, "Come on. I know a place."

With a shrug, Clary followed his lead, trying her best to keep up with his long strides. "How much research did you do?"

"Enough," he told her. "I like to know where I am."

It made sense, but a large part of her wanted to believe he did that research for her. _A girl could dream, right?_

After a moment, they stopped in front of a stand with quite the line. The sign didn't give any indication as to what they served, but after looking at the front of the line, she saw almost everyone leaving with a bucket of fries.

With a raised brow at Jace, she asked, "Fries?"

"Pretty famous fries, apparently."

Clary was ready to roll her eyes, but then someone walked by with a bucket and her stomach growled after getting a whiff of the fried food. Suddenly, she wanted the line to move a lot faster.

When they finally reached the front, she was practically drooling as Jace placed their order. A few minutes later, he plopped a large bucket of fries into her hands, and her eyes widened.

"Woah. There's no way I'll be able to finish this." The bucket was the size of her head.

Jace chuckled as he loaded his fries up with salt and vinegar. "I figured as much, but the look on your face is too priceless."

She looked up at him, not able to hold back her own grin at the sight of his. "That's so mean! What am I supposed to do with all this?"

When he held up the salt and vinegar and looked at her with a raised brow, she nodded and held out her bucket, allowing him to do the same with hers. "Eat as much as you can; I'll finish the rest," he said simply.

Her gaze immediately went to his own large bucket. "Yours _and_ some of mine? That's impossible," she squeaked. "You'll make yourself sick."

Jace narrowed his eyes on her. "Wanna make a bet?"

Tipping her head back to meet his intense stare, Clary felt her lips part on an exhale. "I have a feeling I would regret it if I did."

Popping a steaming hot fry into his mouth, he began to walk away, leaving her to follow. "What's life without a little regret?"

She couldn't stop herself from snorting. "Um, perfect?"

Jace paused to look at her over his shoulder. "No, princess. Boring." Then he shoved almost handful of fries into his mouth and kept walking.

If it were anyone else, she would have been disgusted by the sight of all that food being shoveled into their mouth, but of course all she could focus on was the way his jaw worked as he chewed. It was almost annoying how attractive he still looked, even with chipmunk cheeks.

When Clary reached into her bucket for a fry and took a tentative bite, she immediately moaned in delight once the salty, vinegary goodness hit her taste buds. Jace must have tripped on something because his step faltered a second later, making him grunt in annoyance. But Clary was hardly paying attention because she was way too occupied with the fries. She graduated from small bites to practically swallowing several fries whole.

Clary had been spoiled with food ever since she met Jace. That morning with the Lightwoods had been the first time in years she'd had a home-cooked meal she hadn't had to make herself. And with Jace, that cheesesteak was the best thing she'd ever gotten from a restaurant. She was so used to the crappy diner she and Simon frequented, and unhealthy fast food.

She was by no means starving, but there was no way she was getting all the nutrients one needed to thrive. Though, if today was anything to go by, Jace would rectify that in no time.

Clary still had no idea what she did to deserve the nice things he was doing for her, but she would not take it for granted. For all she knew, this could all end tomorrow. She had to live every day like it was her last.

So, after dusting off as many fries as she could—almost half the bucket, which was way more than expected—she handed the remainder over to Jace, who'd somehow finished his own bucket within the span of ten minutes.

While they walked, Jace pointed out different things to her, like popular restaurants, jewelry stores, mini arcades. Clary smiled through it all, loving that he was taking the time to tell her about the things he discovered while doing his research. When he offered the trip to her, it was on the assumption that she would be _his_ tour guide, but so far she was learning so much from him instead of the other way around. He was doing far more than she had expected, but she definitely wasn't complaining.

After finishing the remainder of her fries, Jace tossed the empty bucket into a nearby trash bin, sending her a smirk as he dusted his hands off on his jeans. "Guess I would have won that bet, huh?"

She looked up at him, amazed. "I guess so."

Leading them further down the boardwalk, he said, "There's a little carnival up ahead. Wanna go?"

Excitement immediately flowed through her at the question. "Oh my God, that sounds amazing." She rushed to catch up with him. "But a carnival doesn't seem like your scene."

"That's because it isn't. Enjoying a place like that requires something akin to an inner child, and that part of me died a long time ago." He clenched his jaw, as if thinking of a bad memory. It was only a flicker, but she saw it. "Though, don't let that keep you from having fun. We're here for you after all."

Clary bit her lip. "Do you remember what you promised me back at the restaurant?"

"That was hardly a promise," he chuckled. "I said I'd try, and I'm not opposed to it. Just know that it doesn't come naturally for me."

She could only smile as they approached the entrance to the carnival. "Well, maybe our little adventure will remedy that."

"What makes you think things will change?"

"Because this time you have me," she chirped, skipping to the back of the short line for tickets.

Jace was slow to join her, not an ounce of joy on his face. If Simon were there, he would have had his game face on, ready to use his gaming skills to his advantage. He'd want to do a walk around to assess which games would get them the most prizes, avoiding the ones that were obviously rigged. Even though they never won anything big, it was always a good time. Moments like these made her miss her best friend so much more.

But Clary had to remind herself that, even though he tried hard to convince her otherwise, she had another great guy with her. A guy who dropped everything to take her on the trip of her dreams, one she thought was lost forever.

After a few minutes, they finally made it to the front of the line. Clary was busy looking at ticket prices, trying to figure out how many they might need when Jace whipped out his wallet and handed over a crisp fifty dollar bill.

"We'll take however many tickets, coins, whatever you guys use here, that this gets us," he told the older man on the other side of the small booth.

The man immediately raised a brow and looked between them. "Just the two of you?"

"Jace, that's like a hundred tickets," Clary whisper-shouted.

He held up his hand to block her face. "We talked about this, princess."

She gaped at the hand in her face. "Oh, how mature." An annoyed huff left her. "Just because you said you're basically loaded doesn't mean I'm just going to stand by and let you drop ridiculous amounts of money for me."

His eyes narrowed on her before he turned back to the confused older man. "What do the tickets get us exactly?"

"Tickets are for the rides, sir. Individual games are paid for with cash," he informed him.

Jace glanced back at her and her pleading eyes, clenching his jaw as he told the man, "Fine, we'll take half in tickets and half in singles."

Seeming relieved that they were done holding up the line, the older man got to work on getting him what he wanted. "Very good, sir."

After receiving his tickets and a handful of one dollar bills, Jace led them into the carnival with the rest of the excited beach goers. Handing over the tickets while pocketing the cash, he looked down at her with a peculiar look.

"What?" she asked, a satisfied smile on her face.

"You know, any other girl would gladly spend my money until I'm bled dry. Why is it that you're so hesitant?"

Clary took her eyes off of the many games and rides around them to meet his gaze. "Because I'm not out to take advantage of you, Jace. You're doing something really kind for me and the last thing I want to feel like is a burden. Like you said, your life is already complicated, so I guess I'm trying to make the least amount of impact to your wallet _and_ your life."

Jace stopped walking and turned to face her completely, blocking her view of the carnival. "I'm the one who asked you to come with me, remember?"

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Let's be real. You only did it because you felt sorry for me. I was clearly upset over my bus leaving and you took pity on me."

At her words, Jace's face turned to stone. "Let's get one thing straight, princess, I don't pity you. You have no idea how easy it would have been for me to speed off in my car and never look back that night. Trust me, I've done shittier things to nicer people." He shoved his hands into his leather jacket. "The only reason why I didn't is because . . ." he hesitated, looking over her head.

Clary was dying from curiosity. "Because? What changed, Jace?"

For a moment he said nothing, but then those golden orbs suddenly met her emeralds. "I saw something in your eyes," he said lowly. "Something I recognized, because it was all I saw in the mirror for years. And back then, I had no one who reached out with a lifesaver. I was abandoned." He sighed, running a hand over his face. "I don't understand it, but I just couldn't do to you what everyone else had done to me."

The confession made Clary gasp, a whirlwind of emotions suddenly overtaking her. It clearly wasn't easy for him to tell her that, but he did it anyway, because he didn't want her thinking that she was a charity case. Apparently it was something else entirely that brought them together, and that changed everything.

Realizing that Jace had broken one of his cardinal rules by getting personal, she decided to break one of her own.

Before he could say anything else, Clary rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest.

.o.O.o.

Unlike the first time Clary tried to embrace him, Jace didn't flinch or push her away. Maybe it was the aftershocks of revealing what he did, or maybe he just didn't have the strength to deny her this time. He hadn't planned on telling her something so personal, but he needed her to realize that she'd gotten it all wrong. His actions weren't spurred on by pity. It was seeing something he'd only ever seen in himself reflected in her eyes that did it for him. After that, there was no turning back.

Though he didn't hug her back, choosing to keep his arms firmly at his sides, he couldn't stop the warmth that suddenly spread throughout his chest at the contact. He was shocked to find that he didn't particularly dislike her small frame against his.

As Clary rested her cheek against his chest, Jace got a whiff of her curls, the scent of strawberries with a hint of the ocean taking over his senses. He could feel himself start to relax, trying not to think about what a bad idea this was. But the war inside his head didn't last for long.

Just as quickly as it began, the hug was over, and Clary was pulling back and looking up at him with a bright smile.

"You let me hug you," she whispered.

Jace cleared his throat and shrugged, trying to appear unfazed. "Yeah, now we're even."

Clary narrowed her eyes a little as if she saw right through him, but she appeared to let it go for now. "Thank you for sharing that with me. It definitely changes how I feel about all this." Her eyes lit back up as she looked at their surroundings. "So how about we have some fun and enjoy this carnival while we can?"

Thankful for the change in topic, Jace stepped to the side and motioned her forward. "After you, princess."

With a quick roll of her eyes, Clary moved in front of him, leading them deeper into the cacophony of rides and games. He was allowing her to take the lead, considering this was not at all his forte. Most people equated carnivals with date nights or a fun place for parents to take their children. Jace had experienced neither, though the former was by design.

After a few minutes of walking, he realized they were drifting more and more towards the section with the rides. There was nothing over the top, considering they weren't at an amusement park, but the selection wasn't at all bad.

Clary's shit-eating grin never left her face as she skipped over to her first choice. It was a single row of seats that was lifted into the air and continued to drop without warning. Every few seconds, gasps and screams emanated from the people already on the ride.

"Hope you're not someone who gets nauseous on these things," Jace told her as they stood in line.

"Don't worry, I won't puke on you," she said.

"Yeah, do that to the poor bastard on the other side of you."

Clary snorted. "I'm not puking at all, meanie."

He smirked. "We'll see about that."

After the giggling and breathless row of people moved on from the ride, Jace handed over the required tickets and followed Clary to a seat in the middle. She was doing a little excited shuffle as they were buckled in, eyes alight with happiness.

"It's been so long since I've been on one of these," she said.

"What's stopped you?"

She tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear and lifted her arms as someone snapped everything into place. "Life, I guess."

He knew "life" was code for something else, but he didn't pry. When they were all strapped in and the man operating the ride walked over to his station, Jace immediately reached over and gave Clary's buckle a hard yank, making sure it was secure.

She sent him a shy smile once he relaxed back into his seat. "I don't think there's anything to worry about."

He shrugged. "You can never be too sure."

"Then why didn't you check your own?" she asked.

Jace met her gaze, then let his eyes travel down her small frame. "Because I'm not worried about myself, princess."

Clary seemed to understand what he meant a second too late, and before she could respond, the ride started and they were being lifted into the air. He welcomed the distraction, preparing himself for the plunge they were about to take. From the corner of his eye, he saw Clary's grip tighten on the bars beside her head.

The ride stalled. Their eyes locked. Then they were falling.

Just like when he suddenly accelerated his car, Clary squealed in surprise, lips parting on a grin. Jace grunted at the feeling of butterflies in his stomach, though it was nothing compared to what he'd felt the night before. That was more like being punched in the gut and having the wind knocked out of him.

The same continued for a few more minutes as the ride went up and then down unexpectedly. As it went on, though, Jace welcomed the sound of Clary's gasps, squeals, and laughs. She was clearly enjoying herself, and to think they wouldn't even be there if she didn't take exactly what she wanted.

When it was over and everyone was unbuckled, Clary was breathless and grinning widely as they strolled in search of another thrill. Though as they waded through the crowd, Jace couldn't help but notice her eyes drifting to the ferris wheel every so often. It was subtle, but not subtle enough.

"Want to get on?" he asked after the fourth or fifth glance.

She looked up at him, distracted. "On what?"

Jace pointed to the top of the ferris wheel, which had to be the tallest thing at the carnival.

Clary immediately shook her head. "Um, I'd rather not. It's way too high."

He furrowed his brows. "What, you afraid of heights or something?"

She swallowed. "Something like that."

Jace couldn't help but look back at the ride they just got off of. "You seemed pretty okay on the last ride."

"Yeah, but it wasn't _that_ high. People still looked like people from up there, not ants," she told him. "Not to mention we were all strapped down, but in that thing you're just sitting there all exposed without anything to distract you."

Jace nodded, but it was hard to let it go. Her fear felt like something he needed to fix, but he had to remind himself that it wasn't his job to do. "Okay we'll avoid the big, bad ferris wheel for tonight. What do you want to do instead?"

Clary's eyes traveled behind him and a tentative smile suddenly overtook her face. Jace was slow to look over his shoulder, but once he did and saw the spinning teacups he probably couldn't even fit in, he turned back to her with narrowed eyes. _No fucking way_ he wanted to say. But then she held her hands together under her chin and looked up at him with those big green eyes he lost himself in. With a heavy sigh, he turned his head skyward and cursed under his breath.

"Oh, hell," he finally said. "Let's do it."

And he did. For what felt like an hour, Jace allowed Clary to drag him to about every ride imaginable. Mini rollercoasters, bumper cars, a long slide, and rides that spun in all different directions. They did it all.

It didn't do much for him, but it was the happiest he'd ever seen Clary, and that definitely did something for him. She was bursting out of her shell, giving him a taste of the person she was capable of being without fear. The light inside of her shone bright that night, practically blinding everyone around her. And the thought of being the reason behind it made the darkness inside of him subside for the briefest of moments.

After taking one last turn down the slide, the two of them showed no signs of slowing down. Jace couldn't stop himself from grinning when Clary tipped her head back and laughed as she spun around in a circle with her arms out. People were looking, but she clearly didn't care. Though Jace was prepared to tell anyone off if they said anything about it.

"This is the happiest place on earth," she said to the sky, eyes closed.

Jace chuckled. "I'm pretty sure that's Disneyland's slogan, but okay."

Clary shook her head. "Disneyland is just an overpriced place filled with long waits and tired parents whose children forced them to come. This . . ." she motioned around them, "this is where the real fun is."

"Then I'll make a note to cross Disneyland off our list," he joked.

She nudged his shoulder. "I'm serious. Expensive doesn't always equal better. I want our trip to be as authentic as possible, not just flashy."

"Whatever you want, princess." He tipped an imaginary hat. "I am at your service."

Clary rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "You're impossible."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Glancing around, he asked, "You ready to head over to the games, or do you have something else in mind?"

She looked up at him. "Um, I'm actually in the mood for a snack surprisingly. Those rides must have worked up an appetite."

Jace raised a brow. "What are you in the mood for?"

Her eyes roamed the area around them, soon landing on an ice cream stand and lighting up. "God, it's been so long since I've had an ice cream cone."

"Ice cream it is."

He'd barely finished the sentence before she was skipping over to the stand, ordering a vanilla cone with rainbow sprinkles, which didn't surprise him at all. It matched her bubbly personality perfectly.

"Okay, let's go play some games," she said, closing her lips over the swirly tip of her ice cream, causing his eyes to zero in on the action.

Clearing his throat, Jace snapped himself out of it. "Yeah, sure. I think it's this way," he said, walking ahead of her and going in what he thought was the right direction.

Completely unaware of what she was doing to him, Clary followed close behind, eyes searching for more fun. The carnival wasn't as crowded as it'd been an hour ago, making it easier to navigate.

When they made it to a long row of games, Clary pointed to one in the middle. "Hey, what about darts?"

He sent her a smirk. "Hell yeah."

Before they approached the stand, Jace saw her shiver from the corner of his eye. He had to admit that their proximity to the ocean created quite the breeze. Add that to the fact that she was now eating ice cream and still wearing her bathing suit and cover-up, the breeze was probably a little more noticeable now.

Without thinking, Jace shrugged off his leather jacket, internally cursing himself for what he was about to do and willing himself to just let it go. But he was moving on autopilot at that point. Clary looked up just as he was about to drape the jacket over her shoulders, but before he could, she moved out of the way.

"I'm fine, it's just a chill," she said, waving him off.

He rolled his eyes. "Just take the jacket, princess."

She tipped her head back to meet his gaze, shaking her head. "I might get ice cream on it."

"So you'll get ice cream on it," he deadpanned. "Does it really look like I'd give a shit?"

"I guess not." She bit her lip, shivering again. "Fine, I'll take it."

Liking that he got his way, Jace held up the jacket again, helping her guide her arms through the sleeves. When he was done, Clary turned to look up at him, a small smile on her face.

"Thank you," she said, blushing.

It was then he realized his mistake. He'd forgotten to take into account what the sight of her in his clothes would do to him. The jacket, which lately had fit a little snug, was practically swallowing Clary's small frame. The sleeves went past her hands, and it ended well past her thighs. He felt an instant uptake in his heartbeat, the organ suddenly pounding against his ribs.

Though it seemed as if he wasn't the only one affected. Now that his arms weren't covered, he couldn't help but notice Clary's eyes slowly traveling over his tattoos, as if she was committing each one to memory. It made him feel exposed. His tattoos were a map of his entire life. The good, the bad, the ugly. Things he'd never told anyone.

Clearing his throat, he tucked his hands into his front pockets and said, "You ready?"

Knowing she'd been caught ogling, the blush on her face returned. "Um, yeah."

Smirking, Jace leaned down a little. "You can touch one if you'd like."

She immediately rolled her eyes. "God, your ego is huge."

He waggled his brows. "That's not the only thing."

When she threw her head back and let out a laugh, Jace allowed himself to relax, knowing that the tension from before was completely gone.

After taking a long lick of her ice cream, Clary walked over to the stand and politely asked the man behind it for enough darts for the both of them. Luckily, it was only a dollar each, so there were no complaints.

"This is going to be hard," she said, switching her cone into her left hand while she picked up a dart with her right.

Taking the five darts in hand, Jace rolled one around his fingers. "You think so?"

Clary nodded. "Yeah, what are the odds that either of us get all fi—"

Eyes still on hers, Jace launched the dart in his hand toward the wall of balloons, hearing the satisfying pop a second later. All before she could finish her sentence. "I don't know," he said, "I'm liking my odds."

Her mouth dropped open. "How . . ."

"All in the touch, princess." Then he faced the wall. "Get to throwing. There's people behind us."

"You can't rush this," she said, her tongue sticking out as she tossed a dart, the tip landing in the wall nowhere near a balloon.

When she pouted, Jace chuckled to himself as he continued to pop four more balloons by the time she popped her first one.

In the end, Clary only popped two, but instead of being upset, she seemed happy that she'd gotten anything. It was so strange, but he didn't dare say anything to ruin her excitement.

"Congratulations," the man behind the counter said in a monotone voice. "You may pick a prize from the middle shelf."

Both Clary and Jace leaned down to take a look inside the glass. When nothing really caught his eye, he glanced at Clary and shrugged, giving her the reigns.

She bit her lip, eyes scanning the shelf before stopping on something in front of her. "Hey, can we have the Ocean City keychain?"

Without answering, the man slid open the glass door and grabbed the keychain, handing it over.

After giving the floor to the people behind them, they walked further down the row of games. While they looked for something else, Clary held up the keychain and said, "Here, take it."

He shook his head. "It's yours."

"You kind of need keys for a keychain." When he still didn't take them, she gave him that wide eyed look. "Please? You could clip it on your key ring. Then, when you look at it, it'll remind you of how much fun we had today."

Jace took in her words, feeling his resolve slip. _Fuck me_. Before he could stop himself, he was digging into his back pocket for his keys and allowing Clary to drop the keychain into his palm. When he finally hooked it onto the key ring and looked down at her, the smile she gave him was bright and infectious.

It wasn't easy to admit, but saying no to her was becoming close to impossible. Especially with those big green eyes boring into his soul.

As if what just happened wasn't a big deal, Clary finished up her ice cream cone and wandered over to another game, leaving him to follow.

Once at her side, he realized it was a baseball game, the object being to get your ball through holes of varying sizes. After handing over a couple bills, Jace took a baseball in his left hand, testing out the weight.

Clary wasn't as patient, sending her first ball through the second biggest hole, throwing her arms above her head and cheering afterward. With a chuckle, Jace sat back and watched as she threw the rest, each ball hitting their mark, though she didn't aim for the smaller holes. She seemed happy with her results nonetheless, accepting another small prize from the more enthusiastic man behind the counter.

Then Clary looked to him with a smile, letting him take his turn. Jace backed up a little and got into a good stance, eyes narrowing on the smallest hole. For some reason, knowing that she was watching made him want to show off even more. With a quick breath, he drew his arm back and launched it through the hole.

When he looked down at her to see her reaction, he was pleased to see her jaw dropped and eyes mystified.

"Wow," she breathed, making him smirk.

The same went for the rest of the game and the one after that. When they made it to a shooting game, it was the first time he'd seen Clary confident in her abilities. And when she turned to him with the toy gun in her hand and a smirk of her own, Jace found it hard to breathe, the air around them getting hotter. For the first few seconds of the game starting, his eyes were still trained on her as she shot down every target in her path, leaving him to catch up once he snapped out of it.

In the end, they were evenly matched, Clary probably hitting even more targets than him. Now it was his turn to be shocked and amazed as he looked down at her with a raised brow.

Blushing, Clary simply shrugged and said, "I've played a lot of video games with Simon."

He nudged her shoulder as they walked to the next game. "I'm impressed."

"Thanks, but I probably couldn't handle a real one if my life depended on it."

Jace's mind immediately went to that look of fear he'd seen on her face, his jaw clenching at the thought of someone like her being in any kind of danger. "I hope you never have to," he told her.

She tucked her hair behind her ear. "Yeah, me too."

He wanted so badly to ask her what she was so afraid of, but that was a question for another day. Tonight, it was all about her having the best time of her life, which it appeared she was.

As they continued to stroll through the carnival, Jace ran a hand through his hair and said, "Well, since you kicked my ass back there, you do realize I have to give the next game my all?"

Clary snorted. "You've been kicking my butt all night. What's one more?"

When they approached the basketball stand, Clary took one look at how high and far it was and let out a groan. "You've got to be kidding me." Then she turned to face him. "You did this on purpose."

Jace grinned and shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not."

The man behind the stand was the most enthusiastic of them all. "Step up, step in, come in and win! The more basketballs you get in the hoop, the more prizes you can win!" When they approached, the guy zeroed in on Clary. "Hi, pretty lady. Want to test your luck? Maybe your man here can win you a nice prize." Waggling his brows, he swept his hand across the myriad of prizes.

Jace expected Clary to correct him, but he was surprised to see her eyes drift to a large teddy bear instead. He was immediately filled with a rampant need to win it for her. He needed her to remember this night just as he would, no matter what happened after they went their separate ways.

Pulling out his wallet, Jace asked the man, "What'll it take to win the bear?"

Clary looked up at him with wide eyes. "Jace, you don't have to. We're just here to have fun."

He didn't care. "You want it, don't you?"

She sighed, her eyes going to the fluffy, over-sized bear once more. "I mean, I've never won anything like that at a carnival, and of course I want it, but it's not that big of a deal. Prizes that big are close to impossible to win, anyway."

Jace shook his head. "That's where you're wrong, princess. Nothing is impossible when it comes to me." Then he handed the man a few bills. "Give me the parameters, showman."

"Easy," he said. "You get ten basketballs. Sink all ten in any hoop you'd like, but you have to do it in under a minute or the deal is off. You'll have to start all over, and the challenge will only get harder."

"Are you kidding?" Clary squeaked.

But Jace was biting back a grin. "Deal. Bring it on." Happy that he'd already given Clary his jacket, he lifted his hand to roll his sleeves up completely, giving him full rotation of his arms and showing off more tattoos for her to admire. She wasn't the best at hiding her stares, but he didn't mind. Not one bit.

Taking one of the basketballs in his hands, Jace took a step back and started dribbling, testing out the inflation but also wanting to show off a little as he passed it between his legs. It was clear the man making deals didn't know what he'd just gotten himself into.

Shaking off his surprise, the guy reached for a button. "Your time starts now."

As soon as he pressed the button, Jace turned to Clary with a wink and sunk the first basketball. Nothing but net. From then on, he had tunnel vision, his sole mission to not miss a single shot. Some would consider what he was doing a little silly. Like Clary said, they were just there to have fun, but once he set his mind on something, he didn't let it go until it was done.

Right now, his mission was to see that sparkle of delight in Clary's eyes, and if a stupid stuffed bear would do the job then fine by him. Because in those moments, he knew she wasn't thinking about the fear or what was waiting for her back home.

"Holy moly," Clary blurted after he sank half the balls in under twenty seconds. At that point, he'd win the challenge with time to spare.

Jace wasn't even thinking, all he had to do was trust his hand-eye coordination, which had never failed him before. And it didn't appear it would then. When he shot the last basketball into the air and watched it sink into the long netted hoop, he basked in the sound of Clary's excited cheer.

"That was amazing!" She smiled widely. "I can't believe that just happened!"

"Well, believe it," Jace told her. Then he turned to the just as bewildered man, who appeared to not be as enthusiastic as before, but he didn't give a shit. "Can we get the woman her bear?" he asked with a cocky grin.

The man's eyes narrowed slightly, as if he wasn't pleased that he'd only gotten a couple bucks out of them. Just like that, he became as emotionless as the guy manning the darts. After unclipping the bear—which was the size of a small child—from where it hung, he handed it over to a beaming Clary.

"Thanks for playing. Enjoy the carnival," the guy practically bit out as they walked away.

Jace sent him a little salute, his sarcasm coming through without words. When he turned his back, he was pretty sure the guy flipped him off, but his attention was already on the redhead next to him.

Stopping a few feet away from the games, Clary moved to stand in front of him as she hugged the bear to herself. "Thank you for this," she said through a smile. "For this entire night, actually. I had a lot of fun, and I hope you did too."

Seeing that sparkle in her eyes, Jace had no trouble answering. "Yeah, I did. Really."

That just made her smile widen. "Also, for someone who isn't into carnivals, you sure are good at the games."

Jace brushed it off. "Like I said, all in the touch." What he didn't tell her was that every game they played he'd experienced in some way throughout his life. He became proficient at darts after sneaking into shitty bars with an even shittier fake I.D. and learned how to play in order to impress the women and get laid. The baseball skills came from his foster care days when he and a few other guys would throw rocks at fancy cars—they'd get extra points if they took out a taillight. The shooting he'd surprisingly learned for the Lightwoods, Robert taking the family hunting every fall. The basketball skills were the hardest to admit, because there was no way he was telling her about his time in juvie, basketball being the only outdoor activity available most days.

Jace didn't want her to know those things, only wanting her to see him as he was now. Someone who wasn't angry at the world. Someone selfless.

Though he knew he'd eventually screw it all up, he allowed himself to bask in the stars currently in her eyes.

Hoping like hell that he didn't eclipse them.

.o.O.o.

Clary was beyond giddy. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt that way. Like maybe everything would be okay, that she was capable of happiness after years of suffering.

Jace had been nothing but kind to her since they arrived at the beach, not even hesitating to go with the flow and having fun with her. It was all she ever wanted from her trip, and he was giving it to her without complaint.

And what he'd just done for her back there—using his athletic skills to win her that bear—it was hard not to feel special. He saw she wanted something and didn't stop until he got it. The only time a man did that for a woman was when . . . no, that was wishful thinking. Jace was just being kind, nothing more.

Though the sight of him with his sleeves rolled up, muscles bunching with effort as he shot basketball after basketball into the air with amazing accuracy, was drool inducing. If Clary wasn't already attracted to him, watching that while being draped in his warm leather jacket cemented it.

"Want to do something else or do you want to head back?" Jace asked.

Hugging the bear to her chest, Clary tipped her head back and met his gaze. "I'm getting a little tired so we can head back if you're okay with that. Besides, it'll be good to end the night on such a high note."

"If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do," he said simply.

Clary tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach at his words. It was almost as if he was a completely different person, so unlike the man she'd encountered during the bathroom incident. It was hard to distinguish which one was the real Jace Lightwood, but she had a feeling it was the person he was being right now. Void of anger and expectations. With her, he had a clean slate.

Lifting his hand, Jace used a finger to slowly move a strand of hair out of her eyes. When she blushed, his eyes softened and his hand lingered by her face before he dropped it. "Come on. Let's go."

Unlike before, Jace slowed his pace to walk beside her, neither of them in any rush to get back to the hotel. Clary had no idea what to think of it all, but figured it was best not to think at all. She was happy and free, and that was all that mattered.

"How pissed do you think that guy was?" he asked as they strolled toward the exit.

Clary giggled. "On a scale of one to ten? A million."

"Pretty sure he expected to get a lot more money out of us, but that assumption was a big mistake."

"Yeah, clearly he didn't realize he'd challenged the great Jace Lightwood," she jested.

But Jace didn't take her comment as sarcasm as he sent her his signature smirk. "Damn right."

Clary rolled her eyes, though she wasn't able to hide her smile, which seemed to please him immensely.

Before they reached the entrance, Clary spotted a little girl and what seemed to be her mother having an intense moment. The little girl was in tears, the mother looking as though she was close behind as she tried to console her.

"But I don't want to go," the girl cried.

"I know, sweetheart, but we have to get back so you can do your treatments."

It was then Clary recognized the oxygen tank and nasal cannula in the girl's nose. The sight broke her heart and she froze where she stood.

The little girl shook her head, wild curls going every which way. "We were supposed to win a prize for Daddy. We can't go home with nothing."

The mother put her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Your father will understand, I promise."

Seeming like she wanted to protest, the girl opened her mouth but a sudden coughing spell overtook her instead. The mother didn't even flinch as she dug into her purse for a bottle of water and brought it to her lips, allowing her to take a sip as she rubbed her back.

While the mother whispered soothing words as her daughter recovered, Clary decided then and there that she could no longer stand by.

Jace seemed to understand that a second before she started walking over there. "Clary, what are you doing?"

"I have to help," she said, already approaching the pair. Once she made it to them, she was surprised to see that Jace had followed her and was standing by her side. Catching the woman's attention, Clary shuffled from foot to foot, a little nervous. "Sorry if we're intruding, but we couldn't help but overhear your conversation and wanted to know if there's any way we could help."

The mother gave her a tired smile. "That's very sweet of you." Then she looked down at the little girl, who was now staring at them with wide blue eyes. "I'm Rebecca, and this is my daughter, Rachel. She has cystic fibrosis and is about an hour overdue for her treatments. She's just a little upset that she didn't get to win a prize for her father."

"I'm sorry about that. Though I'm not very familiar with that illness."

"Oh, well Rachel loves to explain it to those who don't know much about it." Giving her daughter a small nudge, she silently gave her the okay to speak to them.

Clearing her throat, Rachel looked up into their eyes and started speaking in a small voice. "It's an illness that affects my lungs and digestive system because I have mucus in my airways that's really hard to get rid of. I cough a lot and the oxygen helps me breathe. But I'm going to live a long and happy life because I do all my treatments and take all my pills. Then I'm going to become a scientist that cures every illness in the whole wide world," she said enthusiastically.

Clary felt tears forming in her eyes, seeing a lot of herself in this young girl. Even though the world tried its hardest to knock her down, she had hope. She refused to give up on her dreams and had the heart of a saint.

Bending down so she was eye level with her, Clary smiled and said, "Well, Rachel, how would you like a chance to win this bear?"

Her mouth dropped open and she nodded quickly. "Yes! That would be awesome!"

Laughing to herself, Clary locked eyes with Rachel and moved the bear to one arm, freeing the other. "Okay, here's what we're going to do," she started. "We're going to play one round of rock, paper, scissors. Have you played that before?" When the little girl nodded again, she continued, "You have one shot, and if you win, the bear is yours."

Rachel immediately looked up at her mother, who seemed close to tears herself. "Mommy, can I please play! Please, please please?" she begged, tugging on her hand.

"Yes, of course, sweetheart," she replied briskly.

Putting her game face on, Rachel lifted her hand, waiting for Clary to follow. "Bring it on."

Clary scrunched her face in mock concentration as she raised her fist in front of hers. After a moment of staring each other down, they chanted simultaneously. "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!"

Since Rachel was still staring her down, Clary took the opportunity to gauge what she was going to do. When she saw her fingers starting to form scissors, Clary quickly flattened out her palm a split second later, too fast for her little eyes to comprehend.

Rachel cheered, her small fingers moving to "cut" her hand. "Scissors cut paper!" she declared.

Clary tried to appear defeated as she handed the bear over, using it to hide her huge grin. "Well, Rachel, you won that fair and square." Looking up at Rebecca, she saw her mouth a silent "thank you". Then she chanced a glance at Jace, hoping he wasn't upset that she'd given away the prize he'd won for her.

But it turned out to be the complete opposite. Jace was staring down at her with an unreadable expression, though if she had to guess she'd have to say it was pretty close to admiration.

"Look, Mommy, I did it!" Rachel squealed. "It's so big and fluffy!"

"It is, and I'm so proud of you," her mother said. "I'm sure your father will love it."

Rachel tapped a finger against her lips as she stared at the bear. "I don't know, I might have to keep this one for myself."

They all laughed as she hugged it tightly to her chest as if she wasn't planning on letting it go.

"Are you two visiting, or locals?" Rebecca asked.

"Just passing through. We're on a trip across the States and this is one of our first stops," Clary informed her.

"We'll be leaving sometime tomorrow," Jace chimed in.

She nodded. "Oh, how nice. Where are you two staying?"

When Clary told her the name of their hotel, she didn't miss the slight look of distaste, causing Jace to send her an "I told you so" look.

Waving a hand, Rebecca said, "Well, if you're only staying for the night, my husband and I run a bed and breakfast here in the city. Please feel free to stay with us, free of charge."

Clary traded a glance with Jace before facing her again. "We don't want to take away from any business. That wouldn't be fair."

Rebecca only smiled. "After what you did for my daughter tonight, I'd be honored. We need more people like you in this world. Besides, there's plenty of space, so please consider it."

"Yeah, please stay." Rachel bounced on the balls of her feet, gripping the handle of her oxygen tank tightly. "Please, please, please."

God, how could she say no to that face? With a sigh, Clary opened her mouth to accept, but surprisingly, Jace beat her to the punch. It seemed as if she wasn't the only one brought to her knees by the ball of sunshine in front of them.

"We'd love to," he told her.

Rebecca let out a relieved breath and dug into her purse, handing over a card. "Here's the address. It's not too far from here, actually. Right on the beach."

"It has my name on it," Rachel added.

"I need to get her back for her treatments, but if you go get your things, your room should be ready by the time you head over." She began leading her daughter away but paused to look at them both. "Oh, one bed or two?"

"Two," they both said quickly, Clary's blush returning as she tucked her hair behind her ear and watched Jace clear his throat and tuck his hands into his pockets.

Rebecca gave them a peculiar look, but gladly didn't say anything more. She just sent them a knowing grin while Rachel called out that she'd see them soon.

After they cleared the exit, Clary turned to face Jace, biting down on her lip. "So, that didn't exactly go as I thought it would." She looked down at the card in her hands. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Playfully plucking the card out of her hand, Jace sent her a smirk. "Anything's better than that shithole with dried up jizz on the sheets."

"Do you have to be so crude?" Clary asked, crossing her arms.

"Yes, actually." When she groaned, he added, "Are you really going to pass up a chance to stay on the beach? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, princess. Just think of how happy it'll make the kid."

"She was sweet," Clary murmured.

"Then it sounds to me like your mind is made up." He grinned. "Come on. We said we'd let this trip take us where it takes us. There's a fork in the road and we have to decide which way to go. So, I'll ask again. Are you with me?"

Clary thought about her promise to herself. A promise to let go and enjoy herself, to throw caution to the wind and just be . . . free. This was her chance to keep that promise, and there was no way she was letting that little girl down. So, again, her answer was easy.

"I'm with you."

* * *

**What did you think?**

**Love it? Hate it?**

**Let me know!**

**A/N: I really hope this chapter was worth the wait. It was probably one of the most important chapters I've written because I included a character with Cystic Fibrosis, which is an illness I've had my entire life, and I'm glad I get to use my writing to bring attention to it. While my condition is not as bad and I don't need oxygen, I've seen way too many people like me die before they're even old enough to drink. So this is for them. Feel free to ask me questions, like Rachel I love to explain :) Anyway, here's the chapter fact,**

**Fun fact: Q is the only letter that does not appear in any U.S. state name**


	7. The Ballerina

**Hello, my lovelies! I hope you're having a wonderful day, and if not, I hope this chapter lifts your spirits. Sorry for the delay, but I was pretty sick for a little over a week early last month. It set me back because of course writing was the last thing on my mind when I could barely breathe, but alas I'm back. This chapter was a lot of fun to write once I was back on track, so I'm really excited for you all to read it. So, enough about me and my suckish immune system, get reading!**

**Special thanks to my wonderful beta for editing this chapter :)**

**All TMI characters belong to Cassandra Clare :)**

* * *

_Chapter Songs:_

_**Bloodline by Ariana Grande (Scene 1)_

_**Gunerius by Karpe (Scene 2)_

_**Gunerius (remix) by Amanda Delara (Scene 3) _

* * *

It was half an hour before midnight when Clary and Jace arrived at _Rachel's Bed and Breakfast_. It was a quaint little place. From the outside it had the appearance of a family beach house with a wrap-around porch and twinkling lights accentuating the blue building, the color rivaling the sun-kissed ocean.

Clary immediately wanted to move in and stay forever. They were so close to the ocean that she could hear the waves crashing and there was a constant breeze flowing through the area. It was perfection.

"And to think you wanted to stay at that shithole," Jace jested from behind her.

Snapping out of her trance, Clary turned on her heel to look up at him with her arms crossed. "It wasn't _that_ bad."

"Yeah, and the iceberg the Titanic hit wasn't _that_ big."

She balked at his words. "You're comparing my choice in hotels to the _Titanic_?" she squeaked. "Just because I don't want to stay at some fancy, million star place with toilets that wash your tush doesn't mean that I don't have some taste."

Jace was clearly holding back laughter as he said, "Tush?"

With a huff, Clary reached out and grabbed her duffel bag from his hand, ignoring the zing that went up her arm at the contact. When she turned back around to start up the stairs to the bed and breakfast, Jace finally let out his chuckle as he took the stairs two at a time in order to reach the door first, opening it and gesturing her inside. Even though she was supposed to be annoyed at him, Clary couldn't help but thank him for being a gentleman and holding the door for her.

As soon as they entered, she spotted Rebecca behind the counter in the small waiting room reading a magazine. When the bell above the door jingled, she looked up and smiled once she saw it was them.

"Hey, you two. I'm glad you made it." Rising from her seat, Rebecca set her magazine down and leaned on the counter in front of her. "Oh, I just realized I never got your names."

"I'm Clary, and this is Jace," Clary said while motioning between them, feeling a little silly that she hadn't given her that information sooner.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Clary and Jace. I hope it wasn't too much of a hassle trying to leave your hotel."

"Not at all," Jace told her. "We were able to just pay for half the day, so you actually saved us money."

Clary noted his use of pronouns, choosing to include her in the talk about money. As if what was his was also hers in some way.

Rebecca gave them a tired smile. "I'm happy to hear it. I just got Rachel to sleep. She can get a little worked up after treatments so you can imagine how tired we both are, but I wanted to make sure you both found the place before I made my way to bed." Turning around, she reached into a glass case for a pair of keys before nodding her head towards the stairs. "Follow me, I'll show you to your room. I'm sure you're both looking forward to a good night's sleep before hitting the road tomorrow."

It was then that Clary yawned, causing Rebecca to send her a knowing wink. Making her way to the stairs, she waited for them to follow. Though, before Clary could move, Jace reached out an arm to stop her, his large hand curling around the straps of her bag as he pulled it from her grasp and threw it over his shoulder. It was like he couldn't handle seeing her lug it around herself.

She opened her mouth to tell him she had it, but he was already following Rebecca up the wooden stairs. Rolling her eyes at his back, she hurried to follow as the older woman began explaining some things about the bed and breakfast.

"There are five rooms total, but only three are being occupied right now. Luckily we had a room with two beds and an en-suite available. It also has a lovely balcony that puts you right on the beach, so if you have any trouble sleeping, feel free to pop that door open and I guarantee the sound of those waves will knock you right out." Once they reached a door in the center of the hallway, Rebecca handed the keys over to Clary. "We serve breakfast from nine to twelve. Those of us who live on the beach have never been accused of being early risers, so come down to the family room whenever you're ready."

"Thank you so much," Clary told her. "This place is beautiful and we're so grateful that you're letting us stay here."

Rebecca reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "You're a sweetheart, but anyone who puts a smile like that on my daughter's face is a friend of mine. So, if you ever find yourself in Ocean City again, don't be afraid to come say hello."

"We definitely will," she told her, then blushed when she noted _her_ use of pronouns. It was very unlikely that she and Jace would stay in contact after their impromptu trip was over. For all she knew, he was counting down the days until she was out of his hair. Trying to save face, she muttered, "But, you know, not necessarily together."

Jace seemed to pick up on what she was doing, a small smirk tugging at his lips. Even though it looked as if he'd gladly sit back and watch her continue to put her foot in her mouth, he turned to Rebecca and gave her a nod. "Yeah, we'll stop by."

Clary didn't know if he was simply pulling her out of the ditch she'd created or if he actually meant it, but it made her smile nonetheless.

Rebecca continued to look at them with that same expression from the carnival, as if she knew something they didn't. "Great, well, enjoy your night and we'll see you two tomorrow." With a wave, she moved to descended the stairs, most likely to lock up the place up for the night.

Returning her gaze to Jace, Clary jingled the keys in her hand. "I think we hit the jackpot."

"How about we open the door first," he said. "For all we know, they let the kid decorate the rooms."

Clary laughed as she put the key into the knob. "Oh, don't tell me the big, bad Jace Lightwood is afraid of rainbows and unicorns." When she opened the door to reveal a turquoise painted room with fluffy white sheets on the bed, Jace actually appeared relieved.

With a shrug, he walked into the room first, tossing his bag onto the floor before placing hers gently on the bed in front of him. "I guess we'll never know, will we?"

Closing the door behind her, Clary took a closer look around the room, noting the framed pictures of the ocean and ships, the sea shells littered around the room, and the flowing curtains adorning the double doors that led to the balcony. "This place is perfect."

"Yeah, not too shabby," Jace said, already rifling through his bag, not even taking in the room. "You want the bed closest to the door or farthest?"

Clary's answer was instantaneous. "Farthest," she said quickly. After years of being tormented by her father, she longed to be as far from him as possible. It was why her bed was pushed up against a wall and she never slept facing her door. It would be foolish to think any of that would actually protect her, but she'd long ago found out that it was the only way for her to get even an iota of sleep.

Pausing, Jace turned to look at her, probably noticing that hint of fear in her voice. But instead of questioning her about it, he simply moved her bag from the first bed to the second. "Whatever you want."

Clary felt the butterflies forming in her stomach, and she was ready to thank him when she heard the distinct sound of a zipper lowering right before Jace shoved his jeans down toned legs. Those butterflies quickly turned into tiny bombs as she blushed profusely at the sight of his boxer briefs.

"Um, w-what are you doing?" she half asked, half squeaked.

Jace glanced at her over his shoulder as he kicked off his shoes and jeans in one swift motion. "What does it look like? I'm getting ready for bed." Then he was gripping the back of his shirt and pulling it over his head, revealing a white tank underneath and even more tattoos.

Clary was going to have a heart attack. She was going to die of embarrassment right then and there. Having a guy as hot as Jace practically strip in front of her like it was nothing made it impossible to form a coherent thought. All she could do was stare, watching as he tossed the clothes he'd just taken off into his bag before raising his arms above his head to stretch.

Then he was turning around to face her, and Clary fought really hard to keep her line of sight above his shoulders. With a smirk, Jace took a step towards her. "Like what you see, princess?"

Clary tipped her head back to meet his piercing gaze. "N-no. Just wondering if you're planning on putting some pajamas on."

He leaned down a little, as if telling her a secret. "Well, seeing as though I usually sleep in the nude, consider yourself lucky that I'm even wearing underwear right now. But, then again, don't need you going all crazy on me." His eyes narrowed, taking in the way her breathing had suddenly become shallow. "Or maybe you already have."

Clary bit down on her bottom lip, not missing the way Jace's eyes followed the action. "I'm sorry, I was just—"

"You apologize a lot," Jace told her, his brows drawn together.

Clary tucked her hair behind her ear. "I do?"

"Yeah, you do." Standing taller, he practically hovered above her as he continued, "And it drives me crazy. You should be able to do whatever the hell you want and not give a shit what anyone else thinks."

"It's polite," she said.

"It makes you seem like a pushover."

She crossed her arms, not liking that she was being analyzed. "Well, I'm not."

"You are, but we'll work on it." Jace grinned and bopped her nose. "Stick with me, princess, and you'll be telling people to fuck off in no time."

Clary snorted. "As if. Also, in case you forgot, it was my politeness that got us this room in the first place." With a tight smile, she moved around him to grab her bag. "So, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get ready for bed in the privacy of our bathroom like a normal human being."

Just as she made it to the en-suite, Jace said from behind her, "Yeah, we'll definitely get there."

Shutting the door quickly behind her, Clary moved over to the sink, and when she looked into the mirror she was appalled to find her cheeks as red as a tomato. _So much for playing it cool_. Though, she had a feeling even the most confident and beautiful woman wouldn't be able to play it cool in the presence of that Adonis. It was just a shame that he wasn't at all modest about the effect he had on others.

Letting out a frustrated groan, Clary splashed some cold water on her face, half hoping that it would shock her back into reality. She told herself when she met Jace that she wouldn't become another one of his admirers. She wouldn't become that girl he teased for being attracted to him but secretly pitied because that attraction would never be reciprocated.

Clary knew that she'd eventually find romance, maybe not the kind in the movies, but she'd dreamed of meeting a nice guy who would take her far away from her father. Someone who treated her with respect and cared for her deeply. She had no idea when that man would come along, but it was the hope that he was out there that kept her going.

With a newfound determination, Clary turned away from the mirror and stripped down before putting on a pair of comfy leggings and an oversized _Star Wars_ t-shirt Simon let her borrow for a sleepover years ago. He had a million more so she was sure he didn't even realize it was missing. Besides, _The Phantom Menace_ was probably his least favorite of them all. Smiling at the thought of her best friend, she made a mental note to call him when she woke up. Words couldn't describe how much she missed him.

The room was quiet when Clary re-entered. Jace was sitting on his bed, the covers draped over his lap and one arm behind his head as he scrolled through something on his phone. Trying her best to ignore him, Clary placed the duffel bag beside her bed and climbed on top. She was just getting settled when she heard the distinct sound of waves crashing onto shore. It was then that she noticed the double doors leading to the balcony were cracked open, letting in a slight breeze.

"Did you open the doors?" Clary asked, turning onto her side to face the other bed.

Jace glanced over at her before setting his phone down and giving her all of his attention. "Yeah. I figured after what Rebecca said that you'd want to listen to the ocean while you slept, but if it's too distracting, I can close it."

God, he was giving her whiplash. One minute he was trying his best to get under her skin, and the next he was being really sweet and considerate. It was hard to know where she stood with him at any given moment.

"No, it's perfect actually. Thank you."

"No problem." His eyes traveled down the length of her body, smirking when he saw her shirt. "Nice pajamas, by the way."

Clary snorted and moved the sheets so she could slide underneath them. "At least I'm wearing them."

"Like I said, I could be naked right now, so consider yourself lucky," he told her, matter-of-factly.

With a playful roll of her eyes, Clary laid her head on the fluffy pillow, still facing him. A moment of silence passed between them, the only sound being the waves crawling gently to shore. Nothing had ever sounded so soothing and it immediately filled her insides with sheer bliss. "Jace?"

Laying flat on his back with one arm still behind his head as he looked up at the ceiling, Jace responded, "What's up?"

"I just wanted to thank you again for everything you did for me today. You told me things that made me feel not so alone, and even though this wasn't the way I saw my trip going, I'm having a ton of fun with you." Not able to meet his gaze as she continued, Clary focused on a lock of her hair as she twirled it around her finger. "And I know this is all temporary, that eventually we'll have to go back to our normal lives, but I was hoping by the end of this that we could maybe become friends? I mean, not besties or anything, just two people who aren't simply acquaintances. But that's only if you want to—"

"Princess?"

Looking up from her hair, Clary locked eyes with an amused Jace. "Yes?"

"There's no need to ramble," he said. "If you want to be friends, we'll be friends. Simple as that."

She nodded. "Okay, cool. That's really cool. Then I guess we're friends."

Jace bit back a chuckle. "Glad that's settled. Now let's go to bed, yeah?"

"Of course." They had a lamp in between them that Jace turned off, and Clary began to settle into the sheets, pulling them up to her chin. But as she laid there, she realized something was still on her mind. With a huff, she reached out to turn the lamp back on. "So, if we're friends, does that mean some of the rules don't apply anymore?"

"No." Then he turned the light back off.

Without even thinking, Clary turned it back on. "And when you say friends, does that title have an expiration date? Like the day we get back home, do we just go back to being strangers? Do we keep in contact? How is that gonna work?"

Jace rubbed a hand over his face. "It's whatever you want."

Clary bit her lip as he turned off the light again. "Right, okay." Laying back down, she watched as Jace did the same, both of them getting comfortable. But her mind refused to let it go, forcing her to turn the light on once again, making him curse. "But what if—"

"Princess," Jace groaned, gripping his hair in his hands. "Please shut up and go to sleep."

As fast as she turned the light on, she turned it right back off. "Right, sorry. Going to bed now."

She'd really meant it that time, even laid on her side so that both her hands stayed under her head. She had plenty more questions, but those were for another day and time. Closing her eyes, Clary simply focused on the sound of those waves, using it to lull her to sleep. But before she nodded off, the light came back on, this time by Jace's hand.

"Just . . . one more thing," he said.

Clary's eyes snapped open to meet his gaze. "What is it?"

"It might not have been obvious, so I wanted you to know that I also had fun today. Don't let it go to your head, but your company isn't exactly horrible."

If it were anyone else, Clary would have been a little insulted to have her company described as "not horrible", but coming from a guy as guarded as Jace, it was oddly sweet. "Wow. You really do have a heart."

Now it was his turn to roll his eyes as he shut the light off for the last time. "Whatever. Goodnight, princess."

Feeling that warmth in her body spread, Clary smiled as she closed her eyes and finally let the exhaustion claim her.

"Goodnight, Jace."

.o.O.o.

Late the next morning, Jace awoke with a start as a gust of wind shut the doors to the balcony. With a curse, he rolled onto his back and scrubbed a hand over his face. Before he even opened his eyes, Jace knew that he was alone.

Since they'd met, Clary's presence was something he'd always been aware of. He was hyper aware of every move she made, every breath she took. It took him longer than usual to fall asleep last night because he was so focused on her breathing and the little mumbles she did in her sleep. At one point, he could have sworn that it was his name she murmured in her sleep, causing him to bite down on his knuckles to tamp down the feelings that arose in response.

The girl was driving him insane, and there was nothing he could do about it. Just thinking about how nervous she'd been when asking if they could be friends put a chink in his armor. As he was beginning to learn, it was nearly impossible to deny her anything.

Jace had no idea how to be someone's friend. The guys he hung out with back home were just people to pass the time with. They'd smoke, go to bars or clubs, occasionally go to The Pit to watch men beat the shit out of each other. But they weren't the kind of people he called when he needed something or would care if he suddenly dropped off the face of the earth. They were pieces of shit with no purpose or drive, same as him. But if Clary wanted him to be her friend, he would try his best to give her what she needed, even if he had no idea what the hell that was.

Figuring she was downstairs getting breakfast or something, Jace decided to take advantage of the empty room and immediately stripped down for a quick shower. After getting freshened up, he stumbled back into the room with a towel wrapped around his waist, half hoping that Clary came back just so he could see that look of barely contained desire in her eyes. She wasn't the first and wouldn't be the last to look at him that way, but she was the first to make him feel something in return.

When he was done getting dressed, Jace decided to get in a smoke before heading downstairs for a late breakfast. A burst of warm, salty air greeted him when he opened the double doors and stepped out onto the balcony. If it was possible, the view had become even better overnight. The water was bluer, the sand shinier, the waves higher. It all came together to create a sublime image.

As Jace put a cigarette between his lips and reached for his lighter, he spotted a figure on the beach not far from him. Even though the balcony was on the second floor, it was almost level with the beach. If he decided to hop over it, his feet would be right in the sand.

Looking more closely at the figure, he noticed that they were dressed head to toe in ballerina attire. All soft pinks and a small tutu to match. He'd just lit his cigarette and was about divert his gaze when his eyes zeroed in on the abundance of red curls piled on top of the girl's head.

Brows furrowed, Jace slowly pulled the cigarette from his mouth and watched Clary as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had a pair of headphones over her ears, the music clearly reaching something deep inside of her as she got into position. And when she started dancing, it was impossible to look away.

The way she moved was effortless. Some people couldn't even walk properly on the beach, but there she was twirling and leaping into the air with ease. A peaceful smile lit up her face as she followed the motions, like it was all second nature to her. Like she'd been doing it her entire life.

Jace couldn't even say he was shocked by what he saw. She was constantly surprising him, and by the looks of it, he wasn't the only one to notice her. Almost everyone in her proximity had stopped what they were doing to admire her graceful movements, unbeknownst to her. Clary was clearly in her own little world, and he had a feeling that dancing was her escape from it all. That was one thing Jace knew very well. Though, he had to admit her method of escape was far better than fighting in a musty, abandoned building as gamblers heckled him.

Unexpectedly, she was living up to the nickname he'd given her. It was a wonder why animals weren't circling her as she broke out into song. It was almost unreal, how delicate she looked in that moment. Every rise and fall of her arms, every curve of her body, the balance she had on just the tips of her toes. It was a sight to behold, and Jace could imagine just lying in bed, watching as she danced just for him.

As if feeling his gaze, and his gaze only, Clary suddenly turned around to face the balcony. The small smile that was already on her face turned into a wide grin at the sight of him. Stopping what she was doing—much to his dismay—Clary lowered her headphones to go around her neck and used that same gracefulness to skip over to him.

She looked like a fucking angel, and it was hard for him to stay composed when she got close. It wasn't until she was right in front of the slightly raised balcony that her smile fell, her gaze wandering to the cigarette between his lips. With a look of determination, she temporarily climbed onto the balcony and leaned over it. Frozen, Jace watched as she grabbed the cigarette right out of his mouth and threw it onto the ground before kicking sand over it.

"Yeah, I was definitely done with that," he grumbled.

"Your lungs will thank me," she said, her smile returning. "So will Rachel's."

"Jesus, it wasn't like I was blowing it in her face."

"You're polluting the air she breathes," she countered. Then she looked down at her hands, a far-off look in her eyes. "Trust me, that's enough."

Her statement was pretty cryptic, but it wasn't his place to dig deeper. "Okay," he said, deciding that it would be best to change the subject. "So, you're a real life princess, huh?"

Meeting his gaze, Clary let out a soft giggle, hopefully forgetting what'd been bothering her a second ago. "In my world, we call ourselves ballerinas."

Jace leaned onto the balcony, resting his elbows on the railing as he looked down at her. "It's a good look on you," he murmured.

That pink hue came to her cheeks, causing him to grin. "Thanks." Standing on her tiptoes, she crossed her arms on the railing in between his and rested her chin on her forearm.

"Did you eat?" Jace asked her.

She nodded. "Rebecca's husband is an amazing chef. They fix everything to order, and the pancakes are to die for."

"I'll remember that," he chuckled. "Though, before I do anything, do you have any clue where we're heading next?"

Clary's gaze was trained on the tattoos winding up his arms when she answered. "I video chatted with Simon while you were asleep and he said D.C. was a total dud. All history and government and blah, blah, blah." She put a finger in her mouth and pretended to gag. "So not my scene, but I figured we could go to the next stop on my list instead."

"Which is?"

"Virginia," she said excitedly. "There's so much to see there other than the beach, and it was another stop I was disappointed wasn't on my original trip."

Smirking, Jace reached over and grabbed the pencil holding her hair up into a messy bun. It'd been bothering him ever since he saw it up, preferring when it flowed freely and created a halo of sunset around her. And if he wasn't so adamant about following his rules, Jace would have been tempted to run his hand through her curls, wanting so badly to know what it'd feel like between his fingers. Though, for now, he was content just watching it flow in the slight breeze.

"Then Virginia it is," he said, tucking the pencil behind his ear.

Clary's lips parted slightly as she tentatively tucked her hair behind her ear. "Sounds like a plan."

"Looking forward to it." Not able to help himself, Jace used his finger to push a flyaway out of her eyes, his thumb brushing along her cheek as he did. "There's just one more thing we have to do before then," he told her, taking a step back before he did anything else.

Clary furrowed her brows. "What's that?"

His smirk returned. "You'll see. I'm gonna go get something to eat, but when I get back, we'll head out."

Since he was further back, Clary raised her voice so she could be heard over the waves. "Are you seriously not going to tell me where we're going?"

"Nope."

Opening her mouth to retort, she was cut off when another figure came up beside them. Smiling big, Clary looked down to greet them. "Morning, Rachel."

"Hi, Clary!" Rachel gave her a hug. "That was amazing!" Then she held up a camcorder that looked like it was from the nineties. "I hope you don't mind, but I recorded you dancing a little with your camera."

"Oh, I don't mind at all," Clary told her. "I bet you're a fantastic videographer. I could probably learn a thing or two from you."

Jace stepped forward again and raised a brow. "Camera?"

Clary nodded. "Rebecca and I were talking this morning about our trip and she thought it would be fun if we were able to document it on here. It's pretty old and she said it was headed to the donation box, but it still works and gets the job done, so I thought why not?"

"Sounds like a blast," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm that the kid didn't pick up on.

As if just noticing he was there, Rachel's big blue eyes squinted as she looked up at him, head tilting as she stared at his tattoos. "You draw on yourself a lot."

Jace locked eyes with Clary, seeing that she was holding back laughter at the kid's statement. Turning back to Rachel, he grinned and looked down at his arms. "I guess I do."

"My mom would never let me do that many. But one time, she let a lady draw a heart on my hand with this stuff called henna and it stayed on for a whole week! How long do yours stay on?"

Leaning down, he put his hand up to block his mouth as if he were letting her in on a secret. "Forever."

Her mouth dropped open. "Really? I want one! Can you do hearts?"

"Uh, I'd rather not get my a—butt kicked by your parents. You see, in order to get them to last forever, you have to get poked with a needle a whole bunch of times and it hurts really bad."

Rachel blanched. "But you have so many!" she gasped. "I hate needles. I told my mom and dad that my doctors are really vampires because they're always taking my blood. Did you cry?"

Jace let out a chuckle at her lack of a filter. "Don't tell anyone, but a couple of them made me weep like a baby."

Rachel launched into a fit of giggles, eyes sparkling. "You're funny."

He sent her a wink. "Right back at ya, kid."

"Rachel, honey! You forgot to take your enzymes with breakfast," someone called out from inside, most likely her father by the sound of their voice.

"Coming, Daddy!" Rachel yelled back before turning to face them again. "Enzymes help me digest my food, so they're really important," she said. "My mom says you're leaving soon, but it was nice meeting you. I'm gonna tell all my friends that I met a real life ballerina! They're gonna be so jealous."

Clary smiled down at her. "It was nice meeting you too, Rachel. You've been such great company." Her gaze darted to Jace then returned to hers. "We look forward to seeing your name on the news when you cure all those illnesses."

"And when you're a famous ballerina, I'm gonna beg my parents to take me to see one of your shows," Rachel said excitedly.

"Let's hope I get there," Clary told her.

When her father called her again, Rachel began walking back towards the door, tugging her oxygen tank behind her with ease. "You will! I believe in you!"

"I believe in you more!" Clary called back as she disappeared inside.

"Well, wasn't that cute," Jace said when they were alone again.

Clary raised a brow at him. "You're one to talk." A soft expression overtook her face. "You were really sweet with her. Up until now, I figured you'd want nothing to do with children."

"You're not wrong." He shrugged. "I'm not exactly crazy about the little shits, but I do have a little brother, so I at least know how to talk to them. Besides, she was sweet—kinda reminded me of someone."

She rolled her eyes at his language, but didn't comment on it, choosing to focus on something else he said. "Wow. I wouldn't have pegged you as someone with a kid brother."

"Why? Because I have the mouth of a sailor?" he chuckled.

"Maybe."

"Don't worry," he said. "Because of me, he's learning all of the best words."

Her mouth dropped open. "You're insane!"

"I was kidding, princess. I've never even flipped anybody off in front of Max." Crossing his arms, he leaned back onto the railing. "Unlike most people, I believe a child's wonder and innocence should be kept for as long as possible."

"Oh," she breathed. "I—um, I agree."

"Happy to hear it." Uncrossing his arms, Jace tapped his fingers on the painted wood. "Now, I'm officially hungry as a swimsuit model, so I'm going to go get a plate of those pancakes you're raving about, and then we're back on the road."

Clary nibbled on her bottom lip. "Okay, but you still haven't told me where we're going."

Smirking, Jace started backing away, soon turning his back on the bemused ballerina. Though, just before he crossed the threshold, he stopped to look at her over his shoulder, wanting to get one last look at her in that outfit before he left. Then he gave her a cryptic statement of his own.

"You'll find out soon enough."

.o.O.o.

"Over my dead body."

When Jace mentioned one more stop before they got back onto the road, Clary figured he'd found a nice tourist attraction that was too great to pass up. The last place she expected to find herself was back at the carnival, standing in front of that beast of a ferris wheel.

To say she was scared was an understatement. Yes, the ride wasn't actually a "ride". It didn't pick up speed, twist or turn, it was actually meant to be quite relaxing, but Clary didn't see it that way. Being up that high, everything was out of her control and there was no thrill or excitement to keep her distracted like the typical rides. Great heights made everything appear so small, so . . . insignificant. She hated the feeling of being so distant from the world below her.

Turning to look down at her, Jace raised a brow in curiosity. "Seriously?"

"There's no way," Clary said, shaking her head profusely. "I can't do it."

Sighing, Jace pulled them out of line and stood close enough to block her sight of the ferris wheel. "Tell me why."

She furrowed her brows. "Why what?"

"Why you're so afraid of this thing."

"I told you," she whispered, trying to keep her voice low so the children still in line wouldn't hear. She was already embarrassed enough. "I don't like heights." When he continued to stare at her, unflinching, she sighed and went on. "I just don't like the idea of being so far off the ground that I lose all sense of reality. I know it's stupid, but something happens to me when I'm up that high. I feel off-balance, my heart sinks, and it's almost like I can't breathe."

"It's not stupid. I get it," he told her. "But there's something you didn't have before."

Hugging herself tightly, Clary looked up into his golden eyes. "And what's that?"

Jace shrugged. "Me, of course." His gaze went to the line that was slowly moving forward. "I left it alone yesterday, but since we're friends now, I'm making it my mission to get you to conquer this thing."

"Why do you care?" she asked, not able to understand why this mattered so much to him.

As if not expecting her to ask him that, his expression suddenly turned serious but his eyes remained soft. "Because I'm not delusional enough to think that I can take on what you're most afraid of, but this is something I can handle. If I can make you a little less scared of the world by getting you on a fucking ferris wheel, then I'm going to do it. That's only if you'll let me."

Clary had no idea, but it seemed as though the haunted look in her eyes that night had affected him more than she'd originally thought. But, again, it didn't appear as though he pitied her because of it. In fact, he almost appeared angry that something—or someone—had caused her to be so afraid. Call her crazy, but Clary found his need to help her with this fear awfully . . . compassionate. It shouldn't have mattered to him either way, but it did. That had to count for something.

Eyeing the ferris wheel over his shoulder, a lump formed in Clary's throat when her gaze reached the very top. "I don't trust that thing, Jace."

When a breeze blew her hair out of place, he took a step forward and reached up, tentatively tucking a few strands behind her ear. "What about me, princess? Can you trust me?"

She blinked up at him, noting the way his hand lingered and the almost tender look in his eyes. Even though his personality was hard to distinguish at times, it was clear that something changed when it was just the two of them. He was miles away from the rough, unapproachable man she'd met in that bathroom. She knew this man would never let anything happen to her, which made her answer easy. "Yes. I trust you."

Suddenly, a grin overtook his face. "Good. Now let's kick this fear in the balls."

"Oh, how classy," Clary said, rolling her eyes but with a smile of her own.

Taking their place back in line, Jace stood in front of her, continuing to block her view. He must have known that the longer she looked at it, the more likely she was to back out and hightail it out of there. A large part of her wanted to be brave—not for him, but for herself. Overcoming something like this would boost her confidence, and make her feel as if other fears were capable of being "kicked in the balls" as Jace so eloquently put it.

Since the ride was so massive and fit so many people, after it stopped, patrons began coming out in droves. Then the line was suddenly moving faster as a new set of people got on, the cushion between herself and the ride diminishing right before her eyes. Part of her hoped that it'd be full, and that she would get a few more minutes to psych herself up, but before she knew it there was a large, empty capsule in front of her.

The man operating the ride walked over to lift the chain—which, apparently, was the only thing between her and her immediate death. There wasn't even some sort of door with a latch, nothing but a _chain_.

Clary just stood there staring at it, her feet frozen in place. The man must have noticed that she wasn't so keen on getting on, because suddenly an impatient look crossed his face. It appeared that this wasn't his first rodeo with people scared to get on the ride, but that clearly didn't stop him from being annoyed.

Turning to Jace, the man rolled his eyes and said, "Your girl's holding up the line. Is she getting on or not?"

Jace looked into the worker's eyes, giving him a glare so menacing that it made Clary shiver, and it wasn't even being directed at her. The man looked as if he wanted to protest for the sake of his ego, but soon backed down after giving Jace a quick once-over, zeroing in on his balled up fists and the tattoos running up his arms. Not to mention he had half a foot and about twenty pounds of muscle on the guy.

"Give her a minute," Jace growled, and the worker immediately nodded, moving to direct the family behind them into the capsule instead. Turning back to her, he dropped the intimidating look on his face, smoothing out his features and unclenching his fists so that he appeared more composed. The transformation gave her another case of whiplash. "You alright?"

Clary also couldn't help but notice that he hadn't corrected the guy when he'd referred to her as his girl. Though, that was something she would store away in her scattered brain for later. Right now, she had a huge dilemma on her hands. "Yes. I really want to try, but I can't get my feet to move."

"I know the feeling," he said, speaking low enough so only she could hear. "But you got this."

"I'm not so sure."

Jace gave her a smirk. "This coming from the girl who used a toilet cover to break down a door because she was so hell-bent on going on that trip." He looked deep into her eyes so she knew he was serious. "When you want something, you don't let anything stop you. Not a fucking door, and damn sure not your own mind."

"Holy shark," Clary breathed. "You give strange, but oddly effective pep talks."

He let out a chuckle. "Whatever gets that fire lit."

With a smile, Clary took in a breath and let it out slowly. "Okay. I got this."

"Hell yeah, you do."

So, when the next capsule became available, Clary found her feet slowly moving closer to it, as if they were suddenly unglued from the ground. Since the man operating the ride was probably terrified of him now, Jace was the one to lift the chain. Then he placed one big boot onto the capsule to keep it from swaying and reached out for her.

Biting down on her bottom lip, Clary held out her hand, allowing him to grab it. She gasped when he used that hold to pull her closer, but it was only to put her hand on his shoulder. When she hesitated, he nodded towards the ride in encouragement. That was all she needed to take that final step.

Using his shoulder for leverage, Clary tried her best to ignore how firm it was under her fingers as she hoisted herself up and onto the ride. Her heart was thumping like crazy as she tentatively took a seat on the bench below her. Jace wasn't so stiff when he sat across from her and kicked back, looking as confident and in control as ever.

"Just relax," he said, "It'll be over before you know it."

"What do people even do on this thing?" She asked.

Jace stretched out his arm. "Sit back. Look at the view."

Clary shook her head. "There's no way I'm looking down once we're up there."

"Woah, one step at a time. We're just taking a trip around, that's all."

"Okay," she breathed. "I can do that. Getting on is half the battle, right?"

"Yeah, and the second half starts . . ." he pointed a finger in the air when the ride powered up, "now."

Clary's hands shot out to grab the small table between them when they started moving. She squeaked and closed her eyes, not wanting to see the distance between them and the ground grow. After a moment, they stopped and the capsule swayed a little. She imagined that they were halfway to the top, which was already high enough. Even though she knew it wouldn't do her any good, Clary forced herself to open her eyes and be brave.

The first thing she saw was Jace. He was still relaxed in his seat, looking around them at the view everyone was so crazy about. She decided then and there that if everyone else could do it, so could she. Clary loved seeing pictures of nice views like the ocean and mountains online, how horrible could the real thing actually be? It wasn't as if she were looking at the sidewalk from a skyscraper. Besides, it would only be for a second.

Slowly releasing the table, Clary drew her gaze away from Jace and shuffled an inch closer to the other end. When she was close enough to take a peek, she didn't bother to brace herself and simply looked over the edge. That was a huge mistake.

Even though they were only halfway to the top, everything below them appeared minuscule. It didn't look real. _Nothing was real_. Within seconds, her body felt weightless and even though she knew she wasn't moving, her eyes tricked her into believing that she was tilting further and further over the edge. God, she was so stupid for doing this. Now there was no way out.

"Princess?" came a concerned voice, but it seemed so far away, almost like an echo.

"Jace," Clary rushed out, noticing that there seemed to not be enough air surrounding her. "This was a mistake. I can't do this. I can't _breathe_." She was hyperventilating, frozen without the ability to take her eyes off the terrifying image in front of her. She'd talked a big game, but when it came down to it, there was nothing she could do about her fears. They'd always leave her paralyzed.

"Fuck." For a moment there was nothing, but then she heard the thud of boots hitting the floor and the capsule was moving again. She was so out of it that she didn't even notice that Jace had stood while the ride was moving until he was sitting right beside her. His large body suddenly filled up the space in front of her eyes, making it so she could no longer see anything but him. "You weren't supposed to look, damn it. You were doing so good until you looked."

Clary was still finding it hard to take in air, his voice still like an echo inside of her head. She was no longer looking at the ground, but that weightless feeling hadn't left her body, making her feel as if she was falling.

"Princess, look at me." His fingers were on her chin, lifting until their gazes locked. "I need you to breathe. In and out. Just watch me, okay?"

Nodding, Clary focused on the way he breathed. Nice and easy, in and out. She tried to mirror his movements, forcing air into her lungs and slowly calming herself. Soon, the ache in her chest loosened and her clarity started to return. For a few more moments, she allowed him to coach her into getting her breathing back to normal.

"Good. That's better," he said, letting out a relieved breath.

When she felt like herself again, Clary looked back into his eyes. That concern was still there, but slowly fading as she got herself together. Feeling embarrassed, she tried her best to loosen the tension she'd just caused. "I guess that was pretty stupid, huh?"

Jace tipped his head back and groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fucking hell, princess. Please never do that again."

She cringed. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"Again with the apologizing."

"Right. Not sorry." She cleared her throat. "Thanks for pulling me out of that. I would have just dug myself deeper if you hadn't."

Jace simply nodded. "Sure." He stretched out his legs. "But I'm staying put because I sincerely don't trust you to not do that again."

Clary couldn't help but blush, because he was already close enough that their thighs touched. "Fair enough," she murmured.

Having been so distracted, Clary didn't even notice that they'd already reached the top. This time, instead of looking down, she focused on the vast expanse of the ocean and the way it reflected the sun and the clouds. It was beautiful, and definitely nothing to panic about.

For the first time since getting on that ride, she allowed herself to truly relax. She remained in the moment and refused to hyper focus on things that didn't do her any good. She _was_ capable of overcoming her fears, just not completely on her own, and there was nothing wrong with that. It was what friends were for.

"This feels . . . nice."

Jace turned to look at her. "Really?"

"Yeah," she breathed. "I've never seen this much of the ocean or saw how far back the waves start. And the breeze from up here is perfect. As long as I don't look down and compare our distance from the ground, it's actually kind of peaceful."

"I figured you'd lighten up after seeing how harmless it was." Smirking, he added, "Could have gone without the panic attack, though."

Laughing in spite of everything, Clary nudged his shoulder and continued to look out at the ocean. "It seemed like a good idea at the time. Like that would be the ultimate way of getting rid of my fear." Her gaze went to her hands as she traced her palm. "You know that feeling where you're so disconnected from your body that nothing around you seems real? Like the oxygen in the air suddenly disappears and you're trapped in this vacuum with no way out?"

Jace was silent for a moment, then he ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Yeah, I know it well."

Clary rubbed her palms onto her jeans. "That's what it feels like."

"Your fear of heights?"

Looking up at him, she tucked her hair behind her ear and shook her head. "All of them," she whispered.

"And that night?"

"Yes," Clary said, knowing he was referring to her panic when he'd offered to take her home. "I guess you could say you pulled me out of that one too."

They were dancing around the subject of what exactly had her so terrified that night, but she had a feeling Jace was doing it on purpose. Crossing his arms, he tipped his head back and closed his eyes. "I have hope that it'll get better for you, princess."

A group of clouds passed over the sun, creating a fleeting moment of darkness before giving way to light again. For a split second, Clary imagined that it could be a metaphor for her life. "For the both of us," she said, giving him a smile.

Before she knew it, the ride was moving once again, and Clary surprised herself when she didn't flinch or reach for the table again. With Jace beside her, his body heat seeping into her skin, she was nothing but calm. If she were being honest, she could have gone around again, exactly like that.

Clary knew that once they got off that ride, the rules would apply once again. There would be no touching, no deep conversations, no personal questions. Of course, they'd been slowly opening up and had actually enjoyed each other's company a time or two, but she had a feeling Jace wasn't someone who crossed his own lines very often and she had no idea what would come of it.

When the ride finally came to an end, they both turned to face each other. Without even saying a word, Jace conveyed how impressed he was with his eyes. It wasn't easy, but she'd consider this a step in the right direction. For her fears, and especially for their friendship.

With a grin, Jace nodded and repeated her sentiment from earlier.

"For both of us."

* * *

**What did you think? **

**Love it? Hate it? **

**Let me know!**

**A/N: It was a long wait, but I hope that wait was worth it. I swear one of you reviewers were inside my head when I thought up this chapter bc I've been wanting Jace to catch Clary dancing for a while now. I know this slow burn is killing most of you, but I hope you see them slowly connecting more and more each chapter. And you know, feelings can only stay hidden for so long ;). I can tell you now though, when it all finally comes to a head, it will be an explosion of chemistry you won't forget. Stick around and I will not disappoint! In the meantime, here's the chapter fact,**

**Fun fact: No numbers before 1,000 contain the letter A**


	8. The Park

**Hello my lovelies! First things first, I'm very happy to be back. I apologize for the long wait, there's been a lot going on in the past few months—some bad and some not so bad. All of it combined made it really hard to concentrate on writing, and you all know that I would rather take my time to put out something I'm proud of then to rush through something I'm not. As Ron Swanson once said, "Never half-ass two things, whole-ass one thing." So here's my whole-ass effort. Hope you enjoy :)**

**Also, shout out to my awesome beta who continued to check up on me and gave me the kick in the butt I needed to finish**

**P.S. Happy New Year!**

**Disclaimer: All TMI characters belong to Cassandra Clare :)**

* * *

_Chapter Songs:_

_**Astronaut by Transviolet (Scene 1)_

_**Home Alone by Ansel Elgort (Scene 2)_

_**In My Blood by Leo Stannard (Scene 3)_

* * *

". . . As you can see, we just passed the 'Welcome to Virginia' sign," Clary narrated as she pointed the camera out of the passenger side window. They'd been on the road for hours, and filming had quickly become a way to pass the time. Luckily, they were close to their destination and would soon be settling into a hotel. That knowledge made Clary really happy as she turned to point the camera at Jace. "Is there anything you'd like to say to the people back home?"

With his eyes still focused on the road, Jace simply lifted his hand and flipped off the camera.

With a huff, Clary slammed the display window shut and turned it off. "How mature, Jace. I was planning on making a montage with this footage, you know. If you keep this up, I'll have nothing to work with."

Jace rolled his eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize we were vloggers now," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Clary bit back a laugh. "You know what vlogging is?"

He didn't answer her question, choosing to curse under his breath instead. "Fucking Isabelle."

A snort snuck past her as she imagined Jace being forced to watch makeup tutorials and silly challenges with his sister. He'd probably roll his eyes and act annoyed, but Clary knew he'd pretend to watch just to make her happy. That was the kind of person she had a feeling he was deep down.

As if wanting to change the subject, Jace glanced over at her and asked, "So what's so special about this park, anyway?"

"It's not just a park. It's Shenandoah National Park," Clary informed him. "It's the perfect escape from city life, which—in my opinion—everybody needs to get away from every now and then. There's just something really satisfying about being surrounded by nothing but nature and good company."

"I am good company, aren't I?"

Her mouth fell open. "Is that seriously all you heard?"

Jace looked over at her, feigning confusion. "My bad, did you say something else?"

With a roll of her eyes, Clary went back to looking out the window as they got closer and closer to their destination. "You really do have an ego the size of an elephant, you know that?"

"I'll take that as a compliment, princess."

Feeling that there was no reason to dignify that with a response, Clary simply looked out at the horizon. The sun was close to setting, casting a warm glow on the road in front of them. She had no idea how Jace could drive for so long without breaks. It made her wish she had more experience with driving so she could be more help—not that Jace would allow her to get behind the wheel of his precious baby.

A few minutes of silence passed between them, but it was a comfortable silence. The radio had annoyed them to death a while ago, so the only sound around them was the hum of the motor and wind flowing through the trees.

Though, that moment of silence was interrupted when Jace suddenly turned the wheel and whipped the car into a U-turn. Clary gasped and steadied herself with one hand on the dash and the other on the door. Then she turned to face him with wide eyes.

"What in sam heck was that?!"

Jace smirked. "Sam heck?"

She waved a hand. "You know what I meant. What are you doing?" Looking up, she saw that they were pulling into a small lot with only three active establishments. One of which was a diner.

"You need food," he said simply. "It's been hours since you ate anything and this is the first place I've seen in ten miles."

Tucking her hair behind her ear, Clary turned to face him. "Um, thank you for thinking of me, but I didn't mind waiting until we made it to a hotel and got unpacked."

"I've seen you yawning for the past half hour. I'm pretty sure once you set your sights on a bed, it will be nothing but lights out for you, princess."

He seemed so sure of himself. Clary had no idea he would be so intuitive when it came to her. She figured he'd try his best to pretend she wasn't tagging along. Though, she had to admit that she liked this reality much better.

Parking in a spot farthest from any other car, Jace led the way into the small, cozy diner. It wasn't fancy by any means, but it had character. The booths were red and worn, black and white tiles covered the floor, and Clary noticed a jukebox in the far corner playing an old classic. It was almost as if she just set foot on the set of _Grease_. Though, something about it was very comforting to her.

Luckily, with them practically being in the middle of nowhere, the place wasn't packed with customers. It appeared to be a pit stop for tourists like them. People from all walks of life were scattered around, enjoying a quick meal before getting back on the road. There was a couple sitting at the bar, sharing a milkshake, a backpacker sitting alone, reading a book, and a group of guys sitting in a booth, throwing fries at each other.

Within seconds, a hostess appeared in front of them, a middle aged woman with graying blonde hair. A kind smile adorned her face as she greeted them.

"Welcome to Lucky's Diner. Let's get you two seated."

With them in tow, the woman led them to a booth a little further down from the group of guys. As they passed, Clary noticed a few of them looking at her, letting their eyes roam her body. It made her a little uncomfortable, but she ignored it as she took a seat across from Jace.

What she didn't expect to see, though, was Jace's eyes still focused on the group, narrowed as if he didn't like what he saw. He didn't appear to snap out of it until the hostess set their menus down and told them their waitress would be with them shortly.

"This place seems nice," Clary said once the hostess left.

Jace shuffled a little in the booth, causing it to squeak. "It looks like it was built in the fifties and hasn't been taken care of since," he grumbled.

She shrugged. "You picked it. Besides, I like the whole retro thing."

"The food probably tastes like cardboard, but at this point, I'll eat anything," he said, running a hand through his hair.

Clary opened her mouth to tell him that he was being a drama queen when the waitress suddenly approached their booth. She was much younger than the hostess, closer to their age, and before she was even able to greet them, her gaze zeroed in on Jace. Eyes widening, her lips parted and a light flush came to her cheeks. The woman went from being totally unbothered and probably a little bored to completely enticed by the man before them. Clary watched the transformation in awe, half wondering if there was any woman out there immune to his looks.

As if recomposing herself, their waitress cleared her throat and tossed her shiny black hair over a tanned shoulder. Then she batted her pretty blue eyes down at Jace and said, "Hi, my name is Raven, and I'll be your server this evening. Can I get you started off with something to drink?"

The entire time, she didn't even glance Clary's way. She probably had no idea she was sitting there.

Looking unfazed by his new admirer, Jace looked up from his menu and answered, "Just a water for me, thanks." Then he went back to browsing the menu.

Clary's mouth almost fell open. She was absolutely shocked by what she saw. This woman was a knockout. Tanned skin, soft curves, and hair that was shampoo commercial worthy, and he didn't even give her a second look. If a woman like _that_ couldn't grab his attention, who could?

"Um, I'll have the same," she said quickly.

"Great, I'll be right back with that. Take your time looking over the menus." With a lingering look, the waitress finally pulled herself away from their booth and got to work on their drinks.

As soon as she was gone, Clary couldn't help but whip her head back to Jace. "Okay, once again, what in sam heck was that?"

Jace put his menu down and looked over at her, brows furrowed. "What was what?"

"Did you seriously not see the looks she was giving you?"

"No, I was busy looking the menu over to see if they had something you would like," he said. "Why? Should I be worried that I have a stalker on my hands?"

Clary's mouth opened and closed, probably resembling a fish, but she couldn't figure out how to respond. "Oh, I just thought you'd want to know. Just in case you were interested."

Jace smirked. "I'm not. And even if I was, what am I going to do? Take her into the back and leave you here so one of those assholes, who can't keep their eyes off you, can come over here and bother you?" He scoffed. "As if I'm gonna let that happen, princess."

"What?" Clary frowned and threw a quick glance over her shoulder, and sure enough there were multiple pairs of eyes trained on her. One of them even had the nerve to send her a wink. "Oh," she breathed, turning back to face Jace.

"Yeah. Oh," he deadpanned.

Interrupting once again, the waitress came over to drop off their waters. Then she seemed to just stare at Jace for a full minute before snapping out of it. "Have you guys decided on what you'll be having this evening?"

Barely taking his eyes off of her, Jace glanced at the menu again and raised a brow. "I have a taste for a burger. You like burgers?"

Still flabbergasted that he wasn't paying the waitress any mind, Clary could do nothing but murmur, "A burger sounds nice."

He grinned. "Great. We'll have two burgers with all the fixings on the side, please." With that, he reached across the booth to grab her menu and stacked it on top of his before handing it over to the waitress.

Clary didn't miss the way she purposely let her fingers brush against Jace's as she tucked the menus into her side. "Okay, I'll go put that in. Be back in a jiffy." Shooting a wink his way, she twirled around and sashayed away.

"Wow," Clary said, causing him to chuckle.

"It doesn't really affect me anymore," he added with a shrug.

She leaned forward on her elbows. "But it has to be flattering."

Picking up the wrapper to his straw, he picked at the paper until there was a pile of confetti on their table. "It's not really flattering when you know they only want one thing from you."

"And what's that?"

"A good time. A moment of bliss before they return to their mediocre lives." Looking up from his pile, he met her gaze. "I'm not the man women want to date or bring home to meet their parents. It's only right now for them; they don't see a future with me."

Clary frowned at the way he talked about himself. "And is that what you want?"

He regarded her for a moment, then tilted his head as if in thought before finally answering. "I don't know."

"Well, if it means anything, I think you're worth way more than that," she said, giving him a smile.

Dropping his gaze to the table once again, he murmured, "Thing is, I'm not sure I am, princess."

She shook her head. "No, I'm sure of it. One day you'll meet that special person and they'll prove it to you."

Jace raised his head so their gazes locked, his eyes running over her in a slow perusal. It reminded her of the night they met, when he seemed to take his time to appraise her. A hint of a smile suddenly came to his lips as he watched her. "You think so?"

Feeling the heat of his gaze, Clary shuffled a little in her seat, warmth spreading through her body. "Yes, of course."

They didn't say much after that, preferring to simply sit back and revel in the silence, the soft music playing on the jukebox being the only thing surrounding them. She noticed that their legs would brush together under the table from time to time, but neither of them made a move to get further away.

Before she knew it, the waitress was back, balancing two plates on each arm. Though she seemed unfazed as she strutted over in her pumps, placing Jace's burger and toppings down first before practically clunking hers down in front of her. It was a little jarring to realize this woman clearly saw her as competition. She wouldn't have been surprised if the burger fell in her lap, giving the waitress the perfect opportunity to get a moment alone with Jace. If he didn't appear so disinterested, she would have offered just to ensure her safety.

Like the last time, it took her a little longer to pull herself away from their booth, as if she had to force herself. She was probably getting anxious that they were close to leaving and wanted to make a lasting impression. Clary was almost certain they would be leaving with her number on their receipt.

"So, what do you like on your burgers?" Jace asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Blinking, Clary cleared her throat and said, "Everything."

He chuckled. "Me too." With that, he started piling lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onions on top of his burger.

Doing the same, she watched with a giggle as Jace took a huge bite of his burger, practically finishing a quarter of it already. In his large hands, the thing looked like a slider, so she wasn't surprised at all. She simply shrugged and began eating her own.

It was better than she expected from the "middle of nowhere" diner, and it would keep her stomach from growling all night. But after years of going to bed hungry, having someone actively trying to feed her throughout the day was something she hadn't prepared for.

"What's wrong?"

Realizing she'd gone off in her head, Clary looked up from her burger and furrowed her brows. "What? Nothing."

Taking another big bite, Jace narrowed his eyes on her. "It looked like you were deep in thought about something." He looked at her plate. "Is it the burger? Do you want something else?"

Giving him a grin, she shook her head. "No, it's perfect. My standards for food are pretty low, though. These days I'll eat anything that's edible," she joked.

Jace didn't find it funny, though, as a frown came to his lips. But he seemed to understand that getting to the root of that problem would require a lot of deep questions. So instead, he simply ground his teeth and said, "We'll just have to change that, then."

All she could do was nod at his intense look. "Okay."

Staring down at her hands, Jace used his to lift the burger back to her mouth. "Eat, princess. There's plenty more where that came from." Then he gave her a smirk to ease her worries.

"Thanks, Jace." With that, she tried to mimic him by taking as big of a bite as she could, which only resulted in him chuckling at her chipmunk cheeks.

"So, what food do you think Virginia is known for?" he asked.

"Well, according to the internet, it's oysters," she answered, causing Jace to make a face. "What? Not a fan?"

"It looks like the regurgitated version of what it's supposed to be."

Clary laughed. "That's one way to put it."

"I'll assume you've never had one, because if you had, you'd feel the same way."

She shook her head. "No, that's a delicacy I've never had the privilege of trying. Though, I guess it's not so much of a delicacy after all."

Finishing off his burger in one last bite, Jace leaned forward on his elbows and took one of her fries. "Consider yourself lucky. I can tell you about all the shit I was forced to eat at events hosted by my parents' rich, pretentious friends. Just because it has a high price tag attached to it doesn't mean much when it comes to taste in my experience."

Her eyes went big. "Have you ever had caviar?"

He nodded. "Yeah, tastes like I took a sip out of the East River back home. After a hundred fish died in it."

"Seriously? Way to crush a girl's dream of the good life," she snorted, taking a bite of a fry. They definitely weren't as good as the ones from the boardwalk.

"From what I've seen, it's not all it's cracked up to be." Looking back down at the table, he began pushing his pile from earlier around the table. "I'm definitely lucky that the Lightwoods took me in when they did, but it also opened my eyes to a part of society that a lot of people would give their first born to be apart of. And after all these years, you know what I've learned?"

Surprised that he was sharing a part of his life with her, whether he meant it or not, Clary leaned forward and gave him all of her attention. "What have you learned?"

"That money can't buy happiness." He smirked. "I know it sounds cheesy, but it's true. I was lucky to have been chosen by a family with a soul, but most of their 'friends' are just caricatures of a family. From the outside, it looks like they have it made, but if you look close enough you see parents stuck in a loveless marriage in order to keep up appearances, kids being sent to rehab and bought into colleges, scandal after scandal being covered up. Yeah, they have money, but a shiny new car doesn't truly cover up what a fucked up life they're living."

"Wow, I had no idea you were surrounded by people like that," she said. "That would drive me a little crazy."

He shrugged. "At least I see through the bullshit, and so does the rest of my family. The only true use they have to us is that they donate to Maryse's charities so they can keep up the whole savior complex."

"Still sucks that you're forced to associate with them, even if it's for a good reason."

He nodded. "It's worth it for my mom. Those girls are really important to her."

Clary smiled. "That's sweet. I'm sure she's instilled some good values in you."

"Oh yeah, I'm pretty much a full blown feminist at this point." He ran a hand through his hair. "She'd kill me if I wasn't."

"And you would deserve it," she said sweetly.

Jace chuckled. "Touché, princess."

"Can I get you guys started on some dessert before you get back on the road?"

Clary and Jace startled at the sound of their waitress's voice, both of them so locked in on the conversation they were having. But Jace was quicker to recover as he turned to the young woman and put on his signature smirk.

"A homey place like this should have cake right?"

"We do! I'd suggest our triple chocolate, three layer cake. It's to die for," she said excitedly, her blue eyes practically glowing.

"Well, with that recommendation, I guess I have to try a slice." Then he turned back to her. "Clary?"

She was still looking between them, not fully understanding what was happening, only snapping out of it to answer. "I'm just gonna work on finishing my fries, thank you."

The waitress grinned. "Okay. One slice of cake coming up, handsome." Then she leaned down to gather their plates and skirted away.

"Okay, maybe I should be worried I have a stalker on my hands," Jace said once she was far enough away.

Clary laughed. "You never know. I'll keep a look out when we pull out of the parking lot."

He covered his face with his hands. "Well, fuck me."

"Trust me, she's working on it," Clary giggled.

Quickly understanding her joke, Jace picked up a couple pieces of his confetti and tossed it at her. "Smartass," he chuckled.

After pulling a piece out of her hair, she shrugged and continued eating her fries. Within minutes, the waitress returned with a slice of cake that resembled the one from the movie _Matilda_. It was huge, but after what she'd just seen, she knew Jace would have no problem putting it away. He didn't even flinch as it was set in front of him.

"It's on the house," the waitress said. "We love to treat our newcomers."

Clary furrowed her brows. With the placement of the restaurant, having nothing nearby resembling a neighborhood, she imagined they _only_ saw newcomers. Then again, maybe that was just her.

Jace sent her a nod. "I appreciate it, Raven."

"Anytime," she said softly, eyes fluttering as she floated away.

At this point, they weren't really fazed by her flirting so it was easy to return to business as usual. With his fork, Jace stabbed at his cake and shoved a section into his mouth. His eyes immediately widened as he chewed and swallowed.

"That's good. You sure you don't want a slice?" he asked.

Clary shook her head. "Some of us aren't built like football players, so we actually get full after eating a big burger and fries."

"I'll take that as a compliment," he told her. Then, suddenly, he was reaching across the table for her unused fork. She watched closely as he scooped up a small piece of cake and held it up for her. "At least try it."

Not really thinking much of it, Clary leaned forward and opened her mouth, letting her lips wrap around the prongs. It was then she froze, realizing that Jace probably meant for her to take the fork instead. But when she lifted her eyes to meet his, she noticed that they were a little darker than before. Backing away slowly, she hummed in delight when the flavor of rich chocolate hit her tongue, making her close her eyes in order to savor the flavor. Okay, she was kind of regretting her decision now, but it wasn't as if this would be the last chocolate cake she would have on the road.

After swallowing, she opened her eyes to see Jace still in the same position: fork in the air with his jaw now clenched. He was staring down at her with a look she couldn't decipher, but before she could even attempt to, he snapped out of it and set the fork down.

"You're right, that is good," she said, filling the silence.

Clearing his throat, Jace pushed the cake more towards the center of the table. "We can share it if you want."

Clary smiled and picked up the discarded fork. "Well, it is pretty massive. You look like you could use the help."

Rolling his eyes, he picked up his own fork and began digging back in. "Whatever you say."

So, there they sat, eating cake and talking about what they'd be getting into the next day. Jace seemed pretty much on board with anything, which was surprising because most people would consider hiking through a National Park uneventful. But he wouldn't let her change her mind to be more accommodating to him. In his mind, if she wanted to do something, that was what they were going to do. Even if she pouted in response to his selflessness.

"You'll live," he told her.

Clary just put a nice chunk of cake in her mouth, trying hard to hide her smile. After taking a sip of her drink, she said, "You know, if there's ever anything you want to do, I wouldn't hesitate to do it with you. It's the least I could do after all you've done."

Jace shook his head. "Not much interests me these days, princess. Seeing you excited over all this shit is enough for me."

"There has to be something you find interesting." When he shrugged, she tucked her hair behind her ear and told him, "Then we'll just have to find out along the way."

Finishing the last of the cake, Jace sat back in the booth and crossed his arms. "Yeah, sure."

As if she were watching them from afar, their waitress appeared out of thin air with a bright smile. "Glad to see you enjoyed the cake. Can I get you anything else?"

Since she was only looking at him, Jace was the one to respond. "No, thank you. Just the check, please."

Raven's smile fell a little at that. "Okay, be right back with that." Though she didn't make a move to grab their plates, instead placing a hand on her hip. "So, are you guys from around here?"

Clary decided to answer that one. "Nope, just passing through. We're on our way to Shenandoah National Park."

The other woman gave her a tight smile. "Oh, how fun. I've heard great things about the place. Though, feel free to stop by again on your way back."

"We'd be on to the next state by then," Jace said. "But I wouldn't mind coming back for another slice of that cake."

Their waitress giggled. "There's plenty more where that came from," she murmured, and the innuendo was not lost on Clary. Seeming satisfied now, the woman picked up their plates and went off to get their check.

It was only a few moments before she returned, placing the check on the table. Jace only glanced at it for a moment, then he was pulling multiple bills out of his wallet and putting it inside the fold.

"Keep the change," he said. Then he stood and motioned for Clary to do the same.

If they thought that was the end of it, they were sadly mistaken. Before Jace could leave the booth, Raven pulled a piece of paper out of her apron and handed it to him.

"For when you're ever in town again."

Deciding that she didn't want to stay for their little moment, Clary held back a snort and turned to leave. As she passed through the booths, she noticed that everyone except the rowdy group of guys was still inside the diner. But as she got closer to the door, she saw them standing outside passing around a few cigarettes and laughing loudly. She knew she probably wouldn't get by without them saying anything to her. All she could do was try her best to ignore them.

Steeling herself, Clary pushed through the door, which immediately drew their attention. The laughter died down and the looks she'd been receiving in the diner returned to a few of their faces. One even let out a low whistle. Keeping her head down, she decided to just keep it moving and not give them a chance to harass her. Or, God forbid, something much worse.

But before she could even take one step forward, Clary felt a hand on her hip. Gasping, she tipped her head back to see Jace standing close behind her, his eyes narrowed on the group of men loitering outside. With his jaw clenched, he used that grip to pull her into his side, almost as if to shield her from them. He was staring them down, his eyes daring them to say anything out of line. Even though they all appeared to be the same age, the raw intensity in Jace's golden gaze made him seem much older, and far more intimidating.

Clary could only watch in amazement as each one of them diverted their gaze and returned back to whatever conversation they'd been having as if nothing had happened. All without him having to say a single word. With that, Jace relaxed and began leading her over to his car, keeping his hand on the small of her back until they made it to the passenger side door. His touch sent jolts of electricity up her spine, making it hard to concentrate.

Stopping, he turned to face her and looked into her eyes.

"You okay? They didn't say anything to you, did they?" There was concern in his eyes, which finally made her release the breath she'd been holding.

Clary nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was ready to just ignore them, but you stepped in before they had a chance to say—or do—anything."

Jace quickly glanced back at the group before looking down at her again. "Okay, okay." Rubbing a hand over his face, he let out a sigh. "I know I just broke one of my own rules, but they looked like assholes and I just wanted you to feel safe."

Clary couldn't help the small smile that came to her lips. "I did. Thank you, Jace."

Returning her smile, he simply nodded and reached behind her to open the door. Once she was inside, he jogged around the hood of the car to join her. Then he was starting it up and peeling out of there, leaving them all in the dust.

The sun had just about set and they seemed to be the only car on the road, allowing for a smooth ride to the hotel. Though, before they really got going, Jace suddenly pressed the brake.

"Just one more thing." Then he was digging into his pocket and producing a small piece of paper with a phone number written on it. Without hesitating, he balled it up and tossed it out the window, giving her a smirk when he was done.

Unable to hold back a laugh, Clary burst into giggles as he accelerated again and sped down the empty road.

And with that, their exciting journey continued.

.o.O.o.

When Jace awoke the next morning, it was to the smell of bacon, eggs, and warm pastries. But when he finally opened his eyes, he realized none of that compared to the sight before him.

Clary was standing near the window, looking out at what he knew was nothing but trees, munching on a piece of bacon. She was freshly showered and dressed for the day, her fiery curls still a little damp as she admired the scene in front of her. As if feeling his stare, she turned to face him, a bright smile lighting up her face. A smile he didn't deserve.

"Morning," she chirped. "Sorry if I woke you. I went down to the lobby to talk to Simon and saw they had a complimentary breakfast! How cool is that?" Taking another bite of bacon, she sat on the edge of his bed. "Anyway, I didn't know what you'd like, so I got a little bit of everything before it ran out."

Running a hand through his hair, Jace blinked to clear the fog from his head and focused on the redhead now on his bed. "Did you eat?" was all he could think to ask.

Clary nodded as she finished off her bacon. "Yes, don't worry about me. I helped myself to plenty."

Looking over, he saw two plates next to him on the nightstand piled high with food. "Jesus, princess, did you clear the whole buffet?"

She frowned. "Oh no, is it too much?"

Not able to hold back a little grin, Jace shook his head at her genuine concern. She was too fucking sweet for this cruel world. "No, it's perfect." To show her she had nothing to worry about, he reached over and grabbed a pastry, taking an obscenely large bite. At the sound of her laugh, Jace felt a calmness wash over him as he continued to dust off everything she brought up for him.

While he ate, Clary updated him on what her best friend was up to. Apparently he and her former classmates had skipped over Virginia and landed in South Carolina, where they were currently getting a nice little lesson on the Civil War. It seemed as if the trip she'd been so excited to go on was more so educational than anything. But how exciting could it really have been if it was planned by a school?

Tugging at her hair, Clary looked over at him shyly, as if nervous about what she was going to say. "You know, as much as I miss Simon, I think I was lucky to have missed that bus." She paused. "And to have met you."

Jace felt a tightening in his chest at her words. _Fuck_. A large part of him didn't want to respond and simply rush off to the bathroom to get ready himself, but he knew how much it took for her to say that to him and he couldn't handle upsetting her. He had to say something.

Sitting up, Jace crossed his arms over his chest. "I guess I should be thanking you," he said.

That made her perk up. "For what?"

"For giving me a reason to get out of that shithole." He grinned. "And for being my tour guide, of course."

"Of course," she giggled. "Someone has to show you how the other half lives."

"So, does that make me Lady in this _Lady and the Tramp_ scenario?"

Her mouth dropped open. "Are you calling me the Tramp?"

Jace held his hands up in surrender. "Hey, I don't make the rules." When she made a silly face and stuck her tongue out at him, he realized quickly that he needed to remove himself from the room before he did something stupid. Like pull her closer.

Restraining himself, Jace stood from the bed and slowly backed away from her. "Well, I won't hold us up any longer," he said, shoving his hands into his pajama bottoms. "I'm gonna go shower and get dressed. Be right back."

Nodding, Clary pulled her phone out of her pocket and laid back on his bed. "I'll be here."

With one last glance, Jace gathered his clothes for the day and headed into the bathroom. While he showered, all he could think about was the fact that his pulse hadn't calmed down since the moment he'd met her. There was an obvious tension between them that he'd never felt before, and it was clear he had no idea what to do about it. Each time he saw her, it was like spotting her in that bathroom all over again. He knew it had to be a matter of time before these feelings inside of him dissipated. They had to.

She was a sweet girl with her own skeletons in the closet, and he didn't need that in his already fucked up life. So why was he so drawn to her? Nothing good could come of it, but damn it if he didn't want to start breaking each one of his rules.

As his mind was reeling, he finished getting ready on autopilot, only snapping out of it once he exited the bathroom to see Clary doing some sort of dancing exercise in front of the large mirror above the vanity.

With one leg extended on the vanity, she stood stock straight and kept her balance as she swept out her arm. Then she was bending forward until her head practically went past her leg, then she was bending to the side, and then backward with such grace that he had to wonder how she didn't fall.

It wasn't until she finished that they locked eyes, Clary immediately removing her leg from the vanity and blushing. "Oh, I didn't even hear the water turn off." She glanced around, as if realizing she'd lost herself in the moment. "I was just brushing up on my technique. I can't get too out of practice, you know?"

Crossing the room to stand in front of her, Jace looked down into her eyes. "From here, your technique looked perfect."

Her blush deepened. "Thank you. Though, I'm sure my instructor could have found ten things wrong with what I just did."

Jace quirked a brow. "You go to some kind of dance school?"

A spark appeared in her eyes. "God, I wish. Right now I'm just taking some classes in a studio, but of course the dream would be to get into an actual school."

"What's your dream school?" he couldn't help but ask, wanting to keep seeing that spark.

Clary tugged at her hair. "Well, Juilliard is like the endgame for any wannabe performer out there, but the chances of me getting into that school are slim to none. I'd have to be the best of the best." She paused. "And have a genie in a bottle."

Jace scoffed. "Who says you can't be?"

She blinked. "What?"

"If you want something bad enough, you fight for it," he told her. "If your dream is to get into this school, you can make it happen. A wise man once said, '_Our truest life is when we are in our dreams awake_.'"

A smile suddenly overtook her face. "Thoreau said that," she whispered.

Stunned that she yet again guessed one of his favorite poets, Jace grinned back at her. "He did. So, if you want those dreams to come true, just wake up and make them happen."

"Wow," she breathed. "You should be a motivational speaker. That was something I really needed to hear."

He shook his head. "I'm pretty sure I'm too much of an asshole for that job," he told her.

With a roll of her eyes, Clary walked past him to grab her phone from his bed. "Keep telling yourself that."

Giving her a once-over, Jace took in her athletic leggings and shoes, simple white t-shirt and hair now pulled back into a ponytail. He was dressed similarly, with gray joggers and a black t-shirt that he knew showed off his tatted arms. They were both more than ready for their activity today.

Apparently, the popular thing to do at Shenandoah National Park was hiking on the many trails they had available. He was actually looking forward to it since he hadn't gone on one of his usual morning runs in days. It was imperative that he stayed active, because if he didn't, his mind would.

"You know where we're going?" he asked, lacing up his running shoes.

Clary pulled out her phone again. "Yup. I found the perfect trail that leads to a waterfall. It's going to be so beautiful."

Shrugging, Jace quickly stretched his legs and started for the door.

"Okay, let's do it."

.o.O.o.

The air was clear and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky as Jace and Clary made their way down their chosen trail. Even though it was a prime time to hike, there weren't many others around, which Jace enjoyed tremendously. Clary was right, it was a nice escape from home, where you couldn't even walk down the block without bumping into ten people.

So far, they'd been walking for about an hour, and he was surprised to see that Clary had no problem keeping up with him. All that dancing must have given her amazing endurance, seeing as though she hadn't even broken a sweat. It was a refreshing sight. Most people didn't understand his need to stay active, but he had a feeling they were similar in that way.

"How much longer until we reach the waterfall?" Jace asked.

Glancing down at her phone, Clary blew a strand of hair out of her face before answering. "About fifteen more minutes." Then she looked up at him with a teasing grin. "Why? Is someone getting tired?"

Smirking, Jace held out his arms and flexed. "Does this not look like the body of someone who works out religiously?"

Her eyes immediately went to his biceps as her lips parted. In that split second, she appeared to trip slightly on what was probably nothing, causing a blush to climb her neck and pour into her cheeks. "I guess," she murmured.

With a chuckle, he decided to give her a break and put his lethal weapons away. "You know, before we met, I ran five miles every morning to clear my head."

"And I bet you would finish that nice, healthy run and light up a good ole poison stick," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Jace simply shrugged. "If the run didn't do its job."

Clary looked like she wanted to say more, but thought better of it. A large part of him wanted to know why she detested cigarettes so much, but a larger part of him wanted to know why he hadn't been interested in touching one since he found out she did. He shouldn't have cared what she or anyone else thought about his bad habits, but the effect she had on him was different. Stronger.

Checking to make sure he hadn't upset her, Jace glanced over and was relieved when he saw her still admiring the scene around them. Though the path was wide, there were trees surrounding them on all sides, the sun peaking through the leaves while birds chirped and flew from branch to branch. He had no idea why he was worried. With a view like that, it'd be pretty damn hard to put a damper on her mood.

After a few more minutes of walking, the sound of rushing water became more prominent. At the sound, Clary let out a squeal of excitement and began jogging toward it. He didn't exactly share that enthusiasm, so he kept up a normal pace, only reaching the waterfall a few seconds after her.

Once Jace got a good look at the scene before him, even he had to admit that it was an exquisite display of nature. The waterfall was about twenty feet tall, the water cascading over jagged rocks and fallen branches. The sound was something out of a meditation video, calming and peaceful.

Looking over at Clary, he saw that she had her eyes closed and her head tipped back. It was clear that she liked what she heard when a small smile appeared on her face.

"See what I mean now?" she asked, her eyes still closed.

"About what?"

"This," she breathed, finally opening her eyes and focusing those emeralds on him. "There's just something about being surrounded by all this that makes it seem like all your problems are light years away. Don't you feel it too?"

Tucking his hands into the pockets of his joggers, Jace glanced around and nodded. "I do. It's not very often that I get a break from the noise, so this is . . . nice."

"Nice isn't even the word for it," she chirped, taking a step forward. "Let's take a closer look, shall we?"

With a shake of his head, Jace held out his arm to stop her from moving any further. It wasn't exactly a smooth path to the waterfall, and he didn't like the idea of her going first. So he stepped away from their trail and started down the steep decline, only reaching back for her when he knew it was safe. And without hesitating, Clary put her hand in his, allowing him to guide her down to the rocks surrounding the water.

Though, Jace couldn't help but notice that he did, in fact, hesitate when it came to letting her go. If she noticed, she didn't let on, her eyes still focused on everything in front of her. All he could do was try to shake the feelings stirring up inside of him from that simple touch, deciding it would be best if there was a little space between them.

With that, he tucked his hands back into his pockets and took a few steps away to the edge of the long, flat rock they were both standing on. He didn't want to go any further than that, knowing that the rocks only got smaller and more jagged the closer they got to the water. But apparently Clary didn't get the same memo.

He'd only been turned away for what felt like a second, just to unscramble his mind and calm his beating heart. Unease filled him instead when he looked over to see that Clary had wandered off, deciding to get a closer look at the water herself. She was balanced precariously on one of the smaller rocks, completely oblivious as she grinned down at the water.

Then her eyes suddenly narrowed as she fixated on something and began leaning down. "Oh my God, are there fish in here? I think I see a—"

Before Jace could even call out a warning for her to be careful, one of her shoes lost purchase on the rock and she let out a squeak as she plunged head first into the water. One second she was there and the next she was gone.

Jace's heart immediately dropped into his stomach as he took off running, not caring that he wasn't moving over the rocks carefully himself, just needing to get to her fast. He knew with the waterfall there had to be some kind of current and he didn't even want to think about the possibility of her hitting her head on the way down and not being able to stop herself from getting swept away. He'd never forgive himself if he let something happen to her on this trip.

"Clary!" his loud bellow echoed off the trees, surely scaring away any kind of wildlife.

There was so much adrenaline coursing through him that seconds felt like minutes. Was it just him or had she been under water for much longer than she should have? He was a moment away from jumping in after her when she suddenly broke the surface of the water on a gasp.

She was holding onto the same rock she'd slipped on like a lifeline, her eyes closed to keep the water out. Then she called out for him. "Jace?"

"I'm right here," he called back. "I've got you." With his feet planted, Jace reached out and grabbed her hands, prying them from the rock to wrap around his neck. When she held on tight, he reached into the water and wrapped his arm around her before rising up and bringing her with him. He was getting himself pretty wet in the process, but he couldn't have cared less.

Once they were back on stable ground, he set her back on her feet, his hands immediately going to her face. "Hey, you okay?"

Finally opening those big green eyes, Clary blushed as she met his concerned gaze. She still must have been in shock because all she could do was nod in response to his question.

Releasing a breath, Jace continued to cup her cheeks, his thumbs running along her soft skin. Though he didn't know if it was for her comfort or his. "You're gonna give me a fucking heart attack one of these days, princess."

That got a smile from her. "I guess I should have warned you. If it doesn't involve dancing, I'm pretty much a walking stooge."

"Yeah, I've pretty much figured that out," he told her. Reluctantly dropping his hands, Jace took a step back to assess her. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah." Taking a step forward, Clary's eyes widened and she couldn't hide her wince as she reached down to grab her hip.

"Fuck, you are hurt, aren't you?" When her eyes dropped to the ground, Jace stepped forward, ready to help. "You must have hit your hip on the way down. Here, let me take a look."

Quickly shaking her head, Clary whispered, "It's fine."

Shaking it off, Jace continued on. "Come on, I saw that wince. You're clearly hurt." Then he raised his hands to show her his palms. "I won't even touch you. I just want to check for any kind of mark—"

"No." Clary's voice was firm and it took him by surprise. Her tone was hard, but her eyes were pleading with him to let it go.

That was when he realized. Her eyes said it all. There was no need to check because she already knew a mark would be there, and it wasn't from her fall just now. Jace tried his best to school his features and stay calm for her sake, but what he really wanted to do was punch a nearby tree at the thought of someone hurting her. But that wasn't the conversation she wanted to have right now, so Jace took the hint and let it go, even though it killed him to do so.

"Okay," he murmured. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to."

She seemed to release the breath she'd been holding. "Thank you. I really am okay; I promise."

"Well, you're soaking wet now," Jace couldn't help but point out. "You want to head back?"

"No, let's stay. By the time we make it back I'll be almost dry." She looked skyward. "It's a warm day, the sun is out. Let's just enjoy this while we can."

He just sighed, refusing to fight her on this. "If you're alright, then that's what we'll do."

"I am," Clary gave him a reassuring smile. "We'll just pretend I purposely took a dip in the water and am now sunbathing."

Jace raised a brow. "Sunbathing?"

She shrugged. "Sunbathing."

Letting his eyes roam over her, he tried not to notice the way her wet shirt now clung to her curves, showing a hint of her sports bra underneath. Somehow this was very different from seeing her in a bathing suit.

Biting down on his bottom lip, Jace shook his head and met her gaze. "Fuck it, let's sunbathe."

Seeming pleased, Clary held out her hand for him to take, a blush coming to her cheeks. It was unclear if she needed that contact for comfort or if she just didn't trust herself to make that walk back alone. Either way, Jace took her wet hand in his and began leading her along the rocks, moving slowly so she could match his every move.

He tried his best to ignore the way her tiny hand felt in his, or the fact that she preferred to intertwine fingers instead of lay them flat. Though, maybe he should have been more worried about how much trust she'd put in him. He'd never had anyone rely on him for anything, or trust him enough to follow through. But Clary did, and he didn't want to lose that so soon.

Once they reached the largest and safest rock, Jace let go and took a seat on the smooth surface. Clary followed, seeming to have gotten used to the feeling in her hip, which he didn't like at all. He had a feeling it was second nature to her to ignore an injury, but all he could do was clench his jaw at that thought to keep the peace.

When he looked over at her, he saw that she was inspecting her phone, which had been in her side pocket the whole time. "How's it looking?" he asked.

Clary clicked it on to show him it was still working. "I guess it's a good thing Simon splurged on that life-proof case," she said, relieved. "If only I could make myself life-proof."

Jace chuckled. "Yeah, I see now that I'm gonna have to keep a closer eye on you."

She rolled her eyes, pushing her wet hair away from her face. "Great. Now I feel like a child that needs to be chaperoned."

"I didn't mean it that way." Reaching up, Jace tucked a piece of hair that she missed behind her ear, causing those green orbs to lock on his. "Just that I have your back, is all."

"Thank you," she whispered. "There aren't many people out there that do."

Jace knew exactly how she felt. "It won't be forever," he told her. "I'm a prime example of how quickly that can change. I guess it's just about letting those people in whenever they come into your life."

"Is it really that easy?" she asked.

He shook his head. "It's not easy at all. I'm still working on the whole letting people in part. I don't know if you've noticed, but I can be kind of a dick."

"Oh no, not you," she giggled, bumping his shoulder with hers.

Jace let that one slide, only letting out a chuckle in response. He still had a long way to go when it came to being a good person, but sometimes he wasn't sure if it was even worth becoming one. Though, the more time he spent with Clary, the more he began to wonder if maybe it _was_ worth it. Everything about her just seemed so . . . good. It was impossible to be in her presence and not want to do just a little better. He was both intrigued and displeased that someone had that effect on him.

After sitting there for a while, Jace became curious about something, which he had been for a while. Deciding to ignore his rules once again, he built up the courage to finally ask.

"So, why is it that cigarettes bother you so much?"

Clary immediately stiffened beside him. It was clear the answer to that question wasn't as simple as he'd thought. Looking down at the ground, she whispered, "It doesn't matter."

"I don't believe that," he told her. "I can tell by the way you react when you see me with one that it's something important. But we don't have to discuss it."

There was a long period of silence, nothing but the sound of the waterfall and the birds in the trees to be heard. Jace was just about to cut his losses and change the subject when Clary released a shaky sigh and began speaking in a low voice.

"It was my mother," she said, glancing over to temporarily meet his gaze. She must have been okay with what she saw there because she continued. "I was fifteen when she died from lung cancer. My dad had been a heavy smoker for as long as she'd known him, and while she didn't like it, she settled because she loved him. And that love killed her." Staring out into the water, her eyes began to well with tears. "She never touched a cigarette a day in her life, but she was still the one who suffered the consequences. So, yeah, I hate the things, because I've seen the damage they can do. If not to you, then to someone else—someone you might actually care about."

That left Jace speechless, which didn't happen very often. He'd known she hadn't had it easy, one look in her eyes that night told him that. But now knowing part of why that was, he was even more amazed by the person she still managed to be. She didn't deserve to have her mom taken from her, it just wasn't fair.

"I'm sorry you lost your mom," he said softly, draping his arm across her shoulder. "And I'm sorry I brought up bad memories by smoking in front of you. I feel like a fucking asshole for that."

She wiped her eyes. "You're not an a-hole. You didn't know."

"Well, I do now." Removing his arm from her shoulder, Jace reached into his back pocket with determination and pulled out his pack of smokes.

Clary noticed and furrowed her brows. "What are you doing?"

He held them up. "This." Then he cocked his arm back and launched the cigarettes into the waterfall without a second thought.

"What . . ." Looking back at him, her eyes welled up again.

"Shit," Jace said. "Did I just fuck up?"

"No, no. That's probably the sweetest gesture I've ever seen." A small smile pulled at her lips. "But you totally just littered."

Feeling relieved, Jace ran a hand through his hair and let out a sigh. "We'll have to work up to me being an environmentalist. Just know that I mean that gesture. As long as I'm here with you, I won't light up another cigarette."

"Thank you, Jace."

With a nod, his eyes returned to the view, but the longer he sat there in silence, the more unsettled he became. There was a lump in his throat, and he felt an overwhelming need to share an important part of himself with her as well. He needed her to understand that she wasn't alone.

"I know none of it could have been easy," he began. "But never take the time you were able to spend with her for granted. A lot of us aren't as lucky to get that much."

Clary looked over at him, looking a little concerned. "What do you mean?"

Jace let out an uneven breath. Then he dropped a bomb of his own.

"My mother died giving birth to me."

* * *

**What did you think?**

**Love it? Hate it?**

**Let me know!**

**A/N: So I really hope this was worth the wait. I know the slow burn is killing a lot of you, but when you have two vulnerable characters, there's gonna be a lot of push and pull. But I hope you guys are starting to see a deeper connection forming between them, like the tenderness Jace already feels for Clary. It won't be easy, but I promise it will be worth it. Until next time lovelies! Here's the chapter fact,**

**Fun fact: You can't hum while holding your nose closed**


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